Multivocality Multivocality

These principles for a “multivocal” institute are closely linked to Het Nieuwe Instituut’s Code of Conduct. As a guiding principle, the notion of multivocality – allowing multiple voices to be heard, including from both social and ecological perspectives – is derived from the institute’s 2021-2024 Policy Plan, among other sources. These values are constantly evolving, as are the ways that they are translated into actions. Het Nieuwe Instituut is a learning organisation and invites critical comments, additions and suggestions for this document and our practice.

At Het Nieuwe Instituut, we work from the principle of multivocality. We actively make room for different perspectives in all the research we do, in the activities and exhibitions that we organise, and throughout the organisation. We do our best to be multivocal in both social and environmental terms. This also applies to how we design, maintain and develop our own organisation and the building and the immediate surroundings of the institute. We are committed to a society, ecosystem and organisation that recognises and values the “voices” of all humans and non-humans (including soil, plants, animals and artificial intelligence).

In order to keep networks and communities healthy and resilient, we believe that differences and multiplicity are essential. We are aware that predominant narratives are often one-sided or even exclusive. We therefore also seek out the less dominant or obvious stories. Such stories can contribute to the more equal and just society that we envision. We encourage and aim to maintain diversity in: perspectives, ideas, culture, ethnicity, abilities and limitations, age, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, practical, academic or embodied knowledge (knowledge from experience), and so on. This has a number of consequences:

• We are working on an environment where everyone can be themselves and can express themselves freely. Openness, mutual respect and care and attention for each other are essential for this.

• We endorse the Culture Governance Code, the Fair Practice Code and the Diversity and Inclusion Code.

• We are open and curious about different forms of (embodied) knowledge and (lived) experience. We also recognise and value knowledge that is generated and propagated outside formal educational institutions.

• We question the prevailing criteria in various areas of our work. “Quality” cannot be taken for granted and is by no means neutral. We therefore discuss how, why, and for and by whom such standards are set.

• We challenge the concept of “talent” and discuss its significance with various stakeholders. We work with designers on alternative, multivocal approaches and interpretations of talent, cooperation, (talent) development and “success”.

• We strive for broad accessibility: factors such as ethnicity, sex, gender expression, abilities and disabilities, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, academic or practical education and age should not stand in the way of access and participation.

• Within and outside our own organisation, and whenever possible, we hold a respectful conversation about inequality, exclusion, oppression and exploitation.

• We actively exchange knowledge and ideas about what we mean by multivocality, diversity and inclusion. We hold these conversations organisation-wide in different compositions.

• We exert ourselves to operate in an anti-racist manner at all times and to contribute to the fight against systemic racism.

• We support individuals and parties within and outside the institute who are committed to a just and equal society, for example by breaking with predominant human, white, masculine, able-bodied, academically educated, heteronormative standards.

• We encourage people to (continue to) interact with each other on the basis of curiosity and creativity.

• We think before speaking. Yet we are never 100% sure of our statements. We dare to make mistakes and are open to being told what we do not (yet) know.

• In our work we opt for a conscious and careful approach, not so much for a single “right” one, because we know that this does not exist.

• We are making our own building more sustainable. As a step towards this, we are publishing a sustainability vision for the institute in 2021 and will comply with it.

• At the end of an exhibition’s run, we recycle the exhibition materials as much as possible for subsequent projects, or donate them elsewhere.

• We recognise that humankind can no longer be the natural centre and the sole stakeholder. We are experimenting with the organisational form of the zoöp, in which non-human “voices” are also involved in decision-making.