Making fair, respectful and responsible choices in cultural spaces

Timing: August 2026 (as part of the Summer of Culture)
Format: Preparation session + festival practice + reflection
Location: Online + Hidden Beach Festival (in person)
Register interest: register@hiddenbea.ch
Full details released: March 2026

Overview

Festival School: Ethics is a short, reflective learning arc embedded within the Hidden Beach Summer of Culture programme.

Participants explore how ethical questions arise in everyday decisions around programming, representation, power, consent and care. The focus is on noticing impact as well as intention, and on learning how to make choices that are fair, respectful and responsible in complex, real-world situations.

Learning happens through preparation, lived experience during the festival, and reflection together.

What participants explore

• How power, consent and boundaries shape cultural spaces

• How decisions affect different people in different ways

• How representation and voice are shaped through programming and structure

• How cultural exchange can be approached with respect and care

• How to notice and reduce harm even when intentions are good

Participants develop awareness of how ethics lives in practice, not just in principles.

Structure

1. Preparation session (early August)

A short session introducing key ethical questions and reflective frameworks drawn from cultural and community contexts.

2. Festival practice (during August)

Participants observe and take part in the realities of cultural production, noticing where ethical questions arise in scheduling, communication, representation and care.

3. Reflection & integration (end of August)

A closing session to reflect on ethical tensions, learning and insights, and how to hold complexity with humility and care.

Why this matters

Cultural spaces shape whose voices are heard, whose stories are told and who feels included or excluded.

This learning arc supports participants to become more aware, thoughtful and responsible in how they shape and participate in cultural life.

Who it’s for

• Cultural practitioners and organisers

• Artists, facilitators and programmers

• Community organisers and hosts

• Anyone interested in how ethics shapes culture

No prior experience is required.

Dates & registration

Delivered as part of the Hidden Beach Summer of Culture programme in August 2026.
Full details released March 2026.
Register interest: register@hiddenbea.ch