AFA staff members provide information, including application supports, answer questions and listen to feedback on our programs and services. The nature of many AFA grants and other funding programs is competitive. The AFA strives for transparency, and we provide a variety of resources on our website to help applicants, clients and the wider arts community understand context and rationale for AFA decisions.
While we understand that some may be disappointed by decisions, eligibility or conditions, or other aspects related to the AFA’s programs and services, we expect our people—staff, contractors, expert panelists, volunteers and board members—to be treated with respect.
We are committed to maintaining a respectful workplace and fostering professionalism in all interactions with clients and stakeholders. We ask the same level of respect and courtesy in return.
Respect for AFA people
The AFA does not tolerate any form of verbal or written abuse, harassment or intimidation of its staff, Board of Directors, or anyone working with the AFA in a professional capacity. This includes:
- Raising one’s voice
- Using language or a tone that is aggressive, inappropriate, derogatory and/or vulgar
- Making direct or indirect threats
- Negative comments regarding professional expertise or personal character
Those who engage in abusive, aggressive or threatening behaviour towards anyone working with the AFA in a professional capacity will receive a warning. Should this behaviour continue, the AFA will end communication and document the encounter in case further action is required.
The AFA reserves the right to limit or deny service to anyone who repeatedly and continually engages in this type of inappropriate behaviour towards the AFA.
Behaviour on Social Media
The AFA welcomes comments and questions on its social media channels. To ensure our social media platforms remain welcoming and productive spaces, the AFA will not tolerate any inappropriate communication targeting our social media channels.
The AFA reserves the right to remove any comments that are deemed to be offensive, abusive, or inappropriate. This includes comments that are:
- Racist, hateful, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, contain slurs, or are otherwise contrary to the principles of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Abusive or rude in tone, either to AFA staff or to other commenters
- Aggressive, violent, threatening, or references to self-harm or harm of a third party
- Personally identifying, either about the poster or a third party
- Encouraging of conduct that may or would violate Albertan or Canadian law
- Unproven or inaccurate accusations against individuals or organizations
- Unproven or inaccurate factual claims
- Obscene or pornographic
- Posted for advertising purposes
- Duplicate or spam content (the same comment posted verbatim multiple times in a post)
- Unintelligible
Users who repeatedly and/or purposefully engage in inappropriate behaviour on the AFA’s social media channels may be temporarily or permanently prevented from accessing our social media channels.
If you have questions regarding the AFA’s approach to respect and inappropriate behaviour, please email afacontact@gov.ab.ca or call 780-427-9968 (toll-free within Alberta by first dialing 310-0000).