General Policies

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Music at Oxford is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, trustees, artists and audience members, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

The aim is for our employees, trustees and artists to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee , trustee and artist to feel respected and able to give their best.

The organisation – in providing services – is also committed against unlawful discrimination of artists or the public.

To this end, we have an internal Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy (last revised in May 2021) and are a member of the Oxford Anti-Racism Cultural Alliance. The manifesto of this alliance can be found here:

Oxford Anti-Racism Alliance Manifesto

If you have any queries relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion within the organisation, please contact Rebecca.

Last revised: June 2021

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

The purpose of this policy statement is to explain the principles on which we approach safeguarding for all children and vulnerable adults. We are committed to a culture of respect for all people with whom Music at Oxford, its staff or volunteers come into contact.

This policy applies to all staff and volunteers, senior management and Trustees, contractors and students and reflects the law in England and Wales.

The mission of Music at Oxford is:

Enriching, enlightening, and entertaining, Music at Oxford’s mission is to create and curate eclectic series of high-quality events and projects in and around Oxford for the enjoyment of all.

We wish to ensure that everyone who works at or with Music at Oxford (MaO) or who uses its services can do so safely, whether they be a member of staff, a volunteer, a contractor or a concertgoer and regardless of age, gender, disability or any other individual characteristic.

In particular MaO has a duty not to permit any activity which puts children or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse by the manner in which it is conducted so far as this can reasonably be anticipated; and

MaO will take reasonable steps to ensure that premises in which concerts or other activities are held are safe for all concertgoers, but in particular for children and vulnerable adults whose presence can reasonably be anticipated;

MaO will take reasonable steps to ensure that concerts and other activities will be conducted in a manner which is safe for children and vulnerable adults whose presence can reasonably be anticipated;

MaO will respect of the privacy and confidentiality of any child or vulnerable adult insofar as this is consistent with its duty of care and statutory obligations.

Children

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 years.

Children should never suffer abuse of any kind.

We have an obligation to carry out our mission in such a way as to protect children from abuse.

All children, regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection against all types of abuse.

We recognise that some children are particularly vulnerable because of previous experience, social circumstances, communication difficulties and other circumstances.

We seek to keep children safe by the following measures:

1. Nominating a child protection lead (Rebecca Dawson – rebecca@musicatoxford.com) who will be responsible for keeping this policy under review and who will report to the Board of Trustees on a regular basis;
2. Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers;
3. Ensuring that staff and volunteers are aware of and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes;
4. Ensuring that staff and volunteers who come into contact with children as part of their work for MaO are subject to relevant references and checks;
5. Compliance with health and safety legislation;
6. Making sure that where we are working with third party organisations we check that they have safeguarding policies in place;
7. Where MaO contracts artists in relation to concert activities, these artists are exempt from relevant references and checks.

Vulnerable Adults

Music at Oxford (MaO) interacts with adults in a variety of ways:

• through promotion of concerts and fundraising activities;
• through ticket sales; and
• at performances and via front of house activities.
• In different roles, for example as staff, volunteers, artists, concertgoers and third-party organisations with whom we work.

A vulnerable adult is someone whose ability to protect him or herself from neglect, abuse or violence is significantly impaired by reason of illness, age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, disability or otherwise. It is not always obvious that someone is a vulnerable adult.

Vulnerable adults may also include those who have no disabling characteristics but who have faced experiences which have made them vulnerable.

In many cases we will not know when we are dealing with people who fall within this definition but it is MaO’s objective to conduct its activities so as to provide a safe environment for all people in connection with its activities including those who are vulnerable.

Vulnerability may be a permanent or temporary state.

Abuse may take many different forms. MaO will take reasonable steps to avoid the abuse of a vulnerable adult in any form insofar as we are reasonably able.

We seek to protect vulnerable adults in the following ways:

1. Nominating a safeguarding lead (Rebecca Dawson – rebecca@musicatoxford.com) for vulnerable adults who will be responsible for keeping this policy under review and who will report to the Board of Trustees on a regular basis;
2. Ensuring that staff and volunteers are aware of and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes;
3. Ensuring that staff and volunteers who work come into contact with vulnerable adults as part of their work for MaO are subject to relevant references and checks;
4. Compliance with health and safety legislation;
5. Making sure that where we are working with third party organisations we check that they have safeguarding policies in place;
6. Where MaO contracts artists in relation to concert activities, these artists are exempt from relevant references and checks;
7. MaO will always take concerns about abuse seriously and carry out investigations where appropriate;
8. MaO will ensure that staff, volunteers, artists and contractors are made aware of the way in which concerns can be brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees.

If you have any queries relating to safeguarding within the organisation, or wish to report a concern, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Rebecca Dawson (rebecca@musicatoxford.com).

Last revised: January 2026