Harris Theater's Commitment to Equity
Guided by our five core values — Integrity, Collaboration, Belonging, Respect, and Resilience — we at the Harris Theater are committed to fostering a gathering space that prioritizes local and global connections through our Resident Companies, our Harris Theater Presents Series, and our Community Partnerships. We believe great art and artists exist in every neighborhood across Chicago, and our 30 Resident Companies represent the rich diversity of music and dance forms in our city. We acknowledge that systemic racism creates unequal opportunities and resources for marginalized groups in our community such as Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ performers, audiences, and employees as well as those with disabilities. We seek to remove physical, financial, and social barriers to accessing the music and dance performances we present on our stage. We are nurturing a workplace culture where all members of our team can grow and thrive in service of our mission.
Core Values
The Harris Theater mission is why we are here — the founding purpose of our physical space, operational model, board, and staff. The core values define how we go about that work as a team and as individuals, both in big picture planning and day to day.
The Theater's core values were first defined in 2018 at the full-time staff retreat. The language was distilled from breakout and large group discussions across all levels and departments within the organization, and definitions are revisited annually during the staff retreat.
These values are part of job descriptions and expectations, the annual employee review process, strategic planning, funding applications, and vision statements. These values are integral to the Theater's code of conduct and inform DEIA goals and priorities.