Values Statement & Code of Ethics

Updated June 2023

Values Statement

The League of Independent Theater centers the Indie theater artist in all its advocacy and decision-making processes. We believe that for any society to be healthy, a robust independent theater community must not only exist, it must be fully supported by the systems that govern that society. We believe that indie theater artists are small businesses, vital to the economic growth and to the character of the unique communities which they serve. Indie theater artists are the most at risk but are also most able to directly respond to their constituencies, offering programming at a price point their neighbors can afford and often in the language of their community.

Furthermore, we believe that policies that are good for artists are equally good for the community at large.

We believe that advocacy can be difficult, but we strive to find opportunities for joy within the work.

We acknowledge that we create our work on the unceded territory and with the natural resources of the Indigenous people of the New York region. We honor all the ancestors and those still living in this territory belonging to the unique cultures of the Munsee Lenape, Canarsie, Wappinger, Lakawe and all other indigenous cultures. We acknowledge the unpaid labor of enslaved people, which forms the bedrock of our systems that support a white supremacist worldview and we commit to not only remembering past evil such as the destruction of Seneca Village, Red Lining, Jim Crow, Minstrelsy, and other forms of violence against black and brown bodies that affect us to this day, we recommit to actively working towards anti-racist practices with every program we enact and every action taken by the League.

Because our culture systemically marginalizes artists based on race, gender, religion, age, ability, sexual orientation, economic standing and/or immigration status among other factors, we actively seek to highlight the perspectives of under-represented practitioners and support efforts to address entrenched inequities.

We believe in the power of a unified creative community. Our volunteer artist members are our most important resource. We believe Indie theater artists know what they need more than any outside advocate, and therefore all advocacy efforts must be community lead if they are to be successful. Decision making should work from a non-hierarchical, egalitarian and consensus focused model.

Independent theater is defined as any theater taking place in a 99-or-less seat theater, or in nontraditional spaces. Independent Theater artists are those artists working in spaces of 99-seats or less or in nontraditional spaces, those working in nontraditional performance disciplines or working outside of traditional institutional support structures.

Code of Ethics

The League of Independent Theater believes that ethical behavior is essential to the success of LIT’s mission of working for the common good of indie theater artists. As an organization that is volunteer powered, trust in Leadership is imperative. Leadership must hold itself to the highest standard of honesty, civility, and responsibility, exercising best ethical judgement in all matters. 

The Code of Ethics for the Board of the League of Independent Theater includes:

·       Compliance with all applicable local, state, provincial and federal civil and criminal laws, including non-discrimination and harassment laws

·       Ensuring proper stewardship of all League resources

·       Immediate and effective disclosure of all potential and actual conflicts of interest (such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety)

·       Recusing oneself from all decision-making processes when a conflict of interest is identified, especially during but not limited to the endorsement process

·       Never exploiting any relationship with an elected official, endorsed candidate, prospective endorsee, volunteer, or member for the benefit of the Board Member or the Board Members’ organization

·       Never knowingly infringing on the intellectual property rights of other parties

·       Not engaging in activities that conflict with fiduciary, ethical and legal obligations to the membership

·       Not engaging in activities that harm the members, members’ organizations or knowingly bring the League or its membership into disrepute

·       Protecting the confidentiality of all privileged information

·       Dealing honestly in all League matters

·       Treating all who engage with the League as individuals with inherent value worthy of consideration and respect

Other ethical standards which may be determined as needed.