Creative
Medway
Diversity
Toolkit

Creative Medway Diversity Toolkit

This toolkit supports you to ensure your work reflects people of different backgrounds and abilities and ensure that people feel included.

The guide outlines key areas of support, practical actions, and example pledges to help you champion equality diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDEI).

These materials were developed by members of Medway’s cultural community and tested with practitioners and cultural organisations in Medway over the course of 2025.

What do we mean by equality, equity, diversity and inclusion?

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What do we mean by equality, equity, diversity and inclusion?

 

  • Equality
    Treating everyone the same, regardless of their differences. It means giving everyone the same opportunities and rights.

 

  • Equity
    Ensuring fair treatment, access, and opportunities for all people. It involves recognising that some people may need different resources or support to achieve the same outcomes as others.

 

  • Diversity
    The presence of differences within a group. This can include differences in race, gender, age, religion, abilities, and other characteristics.

 

  • Inclusion
    Creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued. It means ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to participate fully and are treated with dignity.

What action can I take?

Areas to take action

  • Workforce Diversity
    Aim to build diverse teams at all levels, from boards and leadership to staff, volunteers and freelance hires.

 

  • Creative Engagement
    Actively seek out and engage a wide range of creatives for your projects and programmes.

 

  • Audience Diversity
    Develop strategies to reach and engage audiences that reflect the full diversity of our community.

 

  • Marketing and Communications
    Ensure your marketing materials represent diverse individuals and perspectives.

 

Practical inclusive practices to create a welcoming and equitable environment

  • Accessibility
    Make sure people with disabilities can access your physical spaces, online content, and programmes.

 

  • Inclusive Language
    Use respectful and simple language in all your documents.

 

  • Fair Opportunities
    When hiring staff, volunteers or creatives, make sure everyone has a fair chance to apply.

 

  • Training and Development
    Offer regular training to help everyone understand how to treat others fairly and reach people from different backgrounds.

 

Best practices for accessible marketing

Content and messaging

  • Use clear, simple language without jargon.
  • Provide content in multiple formats (text, audio, video, captions, transcripts).
  • Represent diverse people and experiences, but avoid stereotypes.
  • Use inclusive language and avoid gendered terms unless appropriate, use people-first or identity-first language.

 

Visual design

  • Maintain high colour contrast between text and backgrounds.
  • Don’t rely on colour alone to convey meaning (use labels, patterns, or icons).
  • Use readable font sizes (minimum 16px for body text) and legible typefaces.
  • Provide resizable text without breaking layout.

 

Digital accessibility (websites, apps, emails, newsletters)

  • Add alt text for images and descriptions for charts and graphs.
  • Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard navigable.
  • Use descriptive link text (avoid ‘click here’).
  • Ensure forms have clear labels, instructions, and error messages.

 

Social media

  • Add alt text to images on platforms that support it.
  • Use CamelCase for hashtags (e.g., #BetterTogether).
  • Provide captions and transcripts for video and audio content.
  • Avoid flashing or strobing animations.
  • Use diverse images and wording.

 

Email marketing

  • Ensure emails are screen-reader friendly (semantic HTML, headings, alt text).
  • Don’t rely on images for key information, always include text.
  • Use accessible colour palettes and responsive design.
  • Ensure emails are screen-reader friendly (semantic HTML, headings, alt text).
  • Don’t rely on images for key information, always include text.
  • Use accessible colour palettes and responsive design.

 

Example statement of commitment

We believe that treating everyone fairly is essential. Creative Medway encourage all cultural organisations and practitioners in Medway to make a public commitment to diversity. You can use these example headings as a starting point to create your own statement of commitment.

  • Championing
    Make a clear statement of your commitment to equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects of your work.

 

  • Respect and Value
    Create an environment where people of all identities feel respected, welcomed, and celebrated.

 

  • Removing Barriers
    Actively identify and remove any barriers that prevent equal access and participation.

 

  • Amplifying Voices
    Actively listen to and support people whose voices are not always heard.

 

  • Accountability and Transparency
    Regularly review your progress, share your successes and challenges, and be open about what it is was like to make the changes you have made.

 

  • Continuous Learning
    Remember that fairness and inclusion take hard work, and that you will continue to keep learning and make things better.

 

Looking to make your event or venue more accessible?

Venues and Events Access Checklist

A checklist to review your event or venue access provision and make available to your audiences

Download PDF

Venues Access Toolkit

A guide to support you to prioritise access at your venue

Download PDF

Events Access Toolkit

A guide to support you to prioritise access at your events and festivals

Download PDF

Useful links

Looking for more ideas and support?  We have collected a number of useful links, please contact us to suggest resources others may find useful.

Arts Council England
Arts Council England helps people and organisations who want to do creative activities and projects in England.

They do things like:

  • Give money to artists, theatres, museums, and music groups to help them do creative work.
  • Support communities so people from all backgrounds can enjoy and take part in the arts.
  • Help young people get involved in creative activities like painting, dancing, writing, and performing.
  • Make sure the arts are fair and open to everyone, including disabled people and people from different cultures.
  • They want everyone to have the chance to create, enjoy, and share art and culture.

 

Explore Arts Council England resources here:

 

Creative UK
Creative UK helps people who work in creative jobs in sectors such as film and TV, games and digital media, art and design, music and performing arts.

They do things like:

  • Giving advice and training to creative people and businesses.
  • Helping new ideas grow.
  • Making sure everyone has a fair chance to be part of the creative world.
  • Supporting diversity and inclusion in the creative industries.
  • Creative UK wants the UK to be a place where creativity can grow, and everyone can take part.

 

Explore Creative UK resources here:

 

Historic England
Historic England looks after important places from the past in England.  They protect things like old buildings, historic parks and gardens, monuments and ruins and historic streets and town centres.

They do things like:

  • Helping to fix and care for old places.
  • Giving advice and support to people who look after historic sites.
  • Sharing stories about England’s history.
  • Making sure everyone can enjoy and learn about these places.
  • Historic England wants to keep history alive so everyone can enjoy it now and in the future.

 

Explore Historic England resources here:

 

Artswork
Artswork help children and young people take part in arts and creativity.

They do things like:

  • Help schools and teachers bring more art and creativity into the classroom.
  • Work with artists and creative organisations to support young people and give young people a voice in arts and culture.
  • Offer training and support to help people work with children and young people.
  • Artswork believes that creativity helps young people grow, learn new skills, and feel confident.

 

Explore Artswork resources here:

 

The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund use money from the National Lottery to help communities enjoy and care for heritage.

They do things like:

  • Give money to projects that help protect and share important places and stories from the past.
  • Protect things like old buildings, nature and wildlife, cultural history and local heritage.

 

Explore National Lottery Heritage Fund resources here:

 

Local Government Association
Local Government Association represent councils in England and Wales.

They do things like:

  • Help by giving councils a voice with the government, sharing advice and training.
  • Bring councils together to share ideas and solve problems.
  • Make sure communities are heard and supported. Their goal is to help councils work better so that local communities can grow.

 

Explore Local Government Association resources here:

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