Purpose

Last Updated: June 2025

HIAP Helsinki International Artist Programme represents a safe environment for its staff, residents, visitors, partners, collaborators and guests.

Our values are:

Hospitality HIAP maintains a safe and open atmosphere, which encourages collaboration and learning. People feel at home and welcome to stay at HIAP.

Sustainability HIAP’s activities are planned by considering ecological and social sustainability, as well as the organisation’s stability. HIAP’s activities are based on processes which are responsible and operate on a long term.

Dialogue HIAP is a reliable and easily approachable partner. The activities are developed in an open dialogue with partners. Decision making and the activities are kept as transparent as possible. HIAP operates across the disciplines and advances dialogue between different art forms and branches of science.

To live by our values is a collective effort, which requires the active participation of all individuals involved in what we do. We can achieve this by:

1.

Abiding by the Safer Spaces Policy. This policy applies to all internal and external events, workshops, meetings and use of HIAP residency spaces and facilities.

2.

Applying a zero tolerance stance on any form of undesirable behaviour such as sexual or other forms of intimidation, aggression, bullying or discrimination. It is of the utmost importance to act as quickly and appropriately as possible in the event of suspected undesirable behaviour. It is everyone’s task to actively promote social safety within the organisation and to contribute in a positive way.

3.

Taking into consideration the chain of socialising – working – living. HIAP is a place where living and working are linked. Good fellowship, respect and attention to one another are part of the regular interactions between us all. Personal boundaries shall be respected and intimidation or pressure will not be applied to participate in social activities.

4.

Valuing lived experience as highly as academic knowledge. HIAP seeks to create a diverse community of workers, residents and visitors. This also requires each of us to listen, be open to new perspectives and differences of opinion. Differences of opinion / views may result in heated debates or even intellectual / artistic conflicts. Disagreement is no excuse for disrespectful behaviour or abuse of power.

Definitions

The Code of Conduct applies the following definitions:

Undesirable behaviour: conduct, action or omission of an action that has physical, psychological or social consequences which are perceived as negative. This includes in any case sexual intimidation, discrimination, aggression, violence and bullying.

Intimidation: any form of verbal, non-verbal or physical behaviour with the purpose or effect of compromising the dignity of a person, adversely affecting work performance or creating an unsafe situation.

Sexual harassment: any form of verbal, non-verbal physical behaviour with a sexual connotation with the purpose or effect of compromising the dignity of a person, adversely affecting work performance or creating an unsafe situation.

Discrimination: expressing insults or violent actions against residents, visitors or staff because of their religion, belief, political affiliation, race, gender, gender identity, class, socio economic status, sexual orientation, nationality, marital status, age, disability, chronic illness or on any other ground relating to a person’s identify or background.

Aggression and violence: psychologically, physically or verbally harassing, threatening or attacking a visitor, resident or staff member.
Bullying: physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct of a repetitive or structural nature of one person intimidating another person.

Procedure - Confidential Advisor

If you have experienced or witnessed behaviour and situations which are not in line with the Code of Conduct, you can contact the Confidential Advisor who will outline the next steps.

The Confidential Advisor is Vappu Renko (Chair of HIAP Board). Who can be reached through this email address: vappu.renko@gmail.com.

The Confidential Advisor is a point of contact for people who have faced undesirable behaviour within a HIAP environment. They will advise on the appropriate next steps, which could include:

Providing information about the Complaints Procedure and the resulting consequences. Assisting the person to submit a complaint when deemed the desired and appropriate response.
Where a formal complaint is not the desired or appropriate response, trying to resolve the situation through the support of a mutually agreed mediator.
Reporting the status and nature of reported behaviour to the Director and Board of Directors through reports which maintain anonymity of those involved.

Protocol

When a conflict or case of inappropriate behaviour arises in the context of the residency, the following steps will be taken by the relevant parties including the residency team and leadership:

HIAP will listen to all involved parties.
HIAP will seek to mediate and resolve conflicts.
HIAP will take action if it is proven that individuals or groups are interacting disrespectfully, excluding or harming others.
HIAP will seek professional advice where necessary.
If necessary, cases will be discussed and decided on at board level.
If necessary, HIAP will give a formal (written) warning.
When there is no other option, HIAP will stop the residency.

In all of these steps, HIAP will approach sensitive matters on an individual basis. Cases are not shared within the whole community of the residency programme and confidentiality will be maintained by all parties involved.

With thanks to the Jan Van Eyck Academie whose Code of Conduct influenced and guided the creation of ours.