Dawson City Music Festival

DAWSON CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL SAFER SPACES GUIDELINES

The Dawson City Music Festival (DCMF) is a celebration of art, community, and friendship. We operate on the principle of respect for all attendees, artists, audience members, organizers, participants, vendors and volunteers, as well as the communities within Dawson, the Yukon, and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, who so generously allow us to gather on this site within their homeland every year.  

Everyone has the right to feel safe and included at DCMF, regardless of ability, age, ancestry, colour, culture, ethnicity, national origin, race, gender identity or gender presentation, sexual orientation, size, family status, religious beliefs or affiliations. We value freedom of expression, creativity, and spirited celebrations, but not at the expense of others’ rights to feel safe and free from harm. 

Copies of our full Safer Spaces Guidelines are available at Info Booth (Minto Park), are posted throughout DCMF sites and venues, and are included in all artist packages. These guidelines are also available for download on our website at dcmf.com.

If you have any questions or comments, please be in touch at assistant@dcmf.com or 867-993-5584.

CONDUCT

DCMF does not tolerate any form of ableism, ageism, cultural appropriation, racism, or discrimination; assault or violence; fatphobia, gender discrimination, homophobia, sexism, sexual harassment or transphobia; unsolicited and inappropriate sexual attention or touching; or any other behaviour or language that may perpetuate violence, oppression or discrimination. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe by your actions or opinions.

DCMF is committed to holding those who disregard our Safer Spaces Guideline accountable. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for physical, sexual, and verbal abuse and harassment, theft, and other acts of aggression and behaviour that harms or marginalizes people. 

DCMF staff and venue organizers have the authority to remove offenders from all Festival and Festival-affiliated venues. Any person participating in harmful behaviour may be subject to removal from DCMF without a refund, including performers, volunteers, and vendors.

Let’s ensure DCMF remains a respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment for all to enjoy. 

To keep this good ship safely sailing, we ask that you join us in making DCMF a Safer Space in the following ways:

• Resisting and refraining from harassment, hostility, aggression, violence and any other activities—verbal or physical—that encroach upon the right of others to feel safe
• Resisting and refraining from racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, ageist, and fatphobic “jokes,” actions, or commentary
• Resisting and refraining from acts of cultural appropriation, including but not limited to wearing other cultures’ traditional attire or regalia
• Resisting and refraining from catcalling, sexual harassment and non-consensual physical contact
• Maintaining an open, compassionate, and respectful attitude towards others, and respecting the rights of others to a safe festival-going experience
• Identifying and bringing attention to aspects of the festival experience that can be improved or modified to make DCMF a more safe and accessible space for all
• If you witness any such behaviour at DCMF, please speak with a volunteer venue manager. 
  • See details below in “How to Access Support”

HOW TO ACCESS SUPPORT

DCMF will treat all allegations of discrimination, harassment, physical and sexual violence and verbal assault seriously with compassion and professionalism. We believe survivors and will address all concerns attentively.

If you require support or if you have concerns as a bystander, please communicate with DCMF in the following ways:

• In the case of an emergency, call 911. 
• Bring your concerns forward to staff in the following ways:
  • At Main Stage (Minto Park), visit Info Booth, Security, or the Volunteer Tent to be connected with our staff lead, who will safely and confidentially assist and connect you with the appropriate resources if requested. Any volunteer can direct you to the right person or location.
  • Off-Site Venues: speak with the volunteer venue manager, who will connect you with our staff lead.
• Email us at assistant@dcmf.com.
  • Please note that we are a small staff and do not have the human resources to monitor email in the days directly before, during or after the Festival.
• Anyone bringing forth allegations may file a charge with the RCMP, but you will not be forced to do so
• Anyone bringing forth allegations will be asked to identify any perpetrator(s) to DCMF staff confidentially, but you will not be forced to do so

Survivor safety is our primary concern. While the decision to ban a person from the Festival – whether temporarily or permanently – is at the discretion of DCMF staff, all decisions including second chances will be made in consultation with survivors. 

ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES, HARM REDUCTION AND CONSENT CREW AT DCMF 2019:

Our partners from Blood Ties Four Directions Centre will be on-site at Minto Park to provide harm reduction services and information including naloxone kit distribution, information about safer substances use and overdose prevention, and fentanyl testing. Blood Ties staff, Consent Crew volunteers, and DCMF staff, Board and Committee Heads are trained to use naloxone and will carry kits throughout the weekend. Naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose, including fentanyl overdoses. Our partners from Consent Crew, hosted by the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre and Les EssentiElles, will be on-site to distribute safer sex materials and provide consent education. Please visit their booths in the Vendor Grounds or look for roaming Consent Crew volunteers!

*DCMF does not condone the use of illegal substances* 

BAG CHECKS

Bag checks are mandatory for all DCMF venues. Persons who refuse to have their bags checked will not be allowed in.