Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At The Dukes, we believe that theatre and the arts should reflect and celebrate the full richness of our society. We are committed to being a creative space where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued in our programmes, in our workforce, and in our audiences. 

We are actively working to: 

• Amplify diverse voices by supporting artists and creatives from underrepresented backgrounds, both on and off stage. 
• Reflect our community in our programming and across our organisation, recognising Lancaster’s evolving cultural landscape. 
• Create safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces for all people. 
• Challenge barriers to participation in the arts whether financial, cultural, systemic or physical, including exploring how invisible disabilities may have an impact.  
• Learn and grow continually, engaging in honest reflection and meaningful dialogue, and holding ourselves accountable. 

We know that real change takes time, commitment, and collaboration and therefore we are currently working towards the following set of actions (July 2025 – July 2026) with the view of building on these steps incrementally. We welcome feedback, ideas and conversations as we continue this journey. 

• Reviewing our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. 
• Actively listening to people and creating new partnerships. 
• Researching and learning from other people’s work in the area. 
• Continuing to review the accessibility of our spaces and programmes.  
• Actively ensuring that our programming centres diverse voices and stories.