Behind the Curtain

Behind the Curtain, a FAIR in the Arts crowdsourcing project, calls on the public to help expose discriminatory policies and practices in arts and entertainment. Across the entertainment industry, artists, performers, craftspeople, technicians, and production staff are being excluded from employment, training, and funding based on their race, sex, ethnicity, or other immutable characteristics.

We are asking you to help us investigate and document these programs, which FAIR will make public via our Behind the Curtain database.

Whether you’ve personally experienced identity-based discrimination, witnessed it, or are concerned about an organization’s policies or practices, share your evidence or story using the form below. Help FAIR build a public database that informs, empowers, and drives change in film, theater, visual arts, music, and beyond.

Submit an incident, tip, or testimony on the form below. For any inquiries, please email [email protected].

Behind the Curtain, a FAIR in the Arts crowdsourcing project, calls on the public to help expose discriminatory policies and practices in arts and entertainment. Across the entertainment industry, artists, performers, craftspeople, technicians, and production staff are being excluded from employment, training, and funding based on their race, sex, ethnicity, or other immutable characteristics.

We are asking you to help us investigate and document these programs, which FAIR will make public via our Behind the Curtain database.
Whether you’ve personally experienced identity-based discrimination, witnessed it, or are concerned about an organization’s policies or practices, share your evidence or story using the form below. Help FAIR build a public database that informs, empowers, and drives change in film, theater, visual arts, music, and beyond.

Submit an incident, tip, or testimony on the form below. For any inquiries, please email [email protected].

Quotes from real reports

“The landscape of modern film and television is predominantly shaped by male creators, which poses a significant threat to the accurate and diverse representation of anyone who is not a cis man, especially women of color and gender-expansive individuals. This lack of diverse storytelling is dangerous…”

"The mandate was: all women or nonbinary people... and not all white people." "We were challenged... to hire an all-female band... and they had to be diverse - not all white women." "You have a gig... it's all men... I really should hire a woman because it's the right thing to do."

“Statute allows for a bonus tax credit of two percent of the qualified film/digital production expenses for projects that are accompanied by a diversity plan outlining specific goals, which may include advertising and recruitment actions, for hiring minority persons and women which has been approved by the Authority…”

“The Fellowship is a leadership development program for early-career people of color…To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be at least 18 years old, identify as a person of color..."

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can submit to Behind the Curtain?

Anyone! Whether you’re an artist, arts professional, or a concerned individual, we welcome evidence or accounts of discriminatory practices in arts and entertainment, even if you’re not directly affected.

Will my personal information be shared or published?

No. FAIR ensures confidentiality. Your name and contact details will not be published or shared unless required by law.

What goals have we set for Behind the Curtain?

Getting a foot in the door in the arts and entertainment industries is tough, and keeping the door open is just as challenging. Everyone deserves a fair shot.

Behind the Curtain seeks to document and publish evidence of discriminatory and exclusionary practices that compromise fairness and block access. In doing so, we hope to:

• Raise awareness among artists and creative professionals, encouraging them to stand up for their civil rights.

• Provide evidence to journalists, lawmakers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations seeking to expose and end exclusionary practices in arts and entertainment.

Aren't DEI and other exclusionary programs already being rolled back? Why is Behind the Curtain necessary?

It’s true that discriminatory and exclusionary policies are being scrutinized extensively in higher education and the federal government, where politicians, federal agencies, and the substantial sums of money they control can drive change. However, DEI and other exclusionary practices remain deeply embedded in the arts and entertainment industries. In these fields, access to work, training, and other opportunities is controlled by thousands of industry gatekeepers whose hiring practices and selection criteria often go unscrutinized. The prevalence of short-term or freelance contracts in creative industries, combined with the subjective evaluation of merit and qualifications, exacerbates the issue.

What if I want to share my experience with DEI or another discriminatory practice, but I don’t have documentary or other evidence of the discrimination?

If you wish to share your experience with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) or other discriminatory practices but lack documentary evidence because the organization or company does not publicly disclose its exclusionary policies, your account remains valuable. Here’s how to submit it:

Submission Process: Use the “Who does the organization discriminate against?” field in the “Narrative Statements” section of the Behind the Curtain submission form to describe your experience in detail.

Required Information for Anecdotal Submissions (Only): Provide your name and email address. A FAIR representative will contact you to verify your submission using this information.

Privacy Assurance: Your contact details will be used exclusively for verification and will not be shared publicly. This process ensures your story is heard while protecting your privacy.