Welsh Language Policy
Welsh Language Policy
We recognise that the Welsh language has official status in Wales and should be treated no less favourably than the English language. People in Wales should be able to live their lives through the medium of Welsh if they choose to.
We produce, promote and present work in English, Welsh, bilingually and in many other languages. We will continue to programme work in the language of choice of the artists with whom we work.
We are an organisation that supports and encourages accessibility to our arts programmes and services and this includes providing a consistent service to our Welsh-speaking audiences in a language of their choice.
We welcome correspondence in both English and Welsh and aim to provide an equal standard of service in both languages.
We see this policy as forming part of a progressive and forward-looking commitment within the arts to promote a bilingual Wales.
Our policy seeks to:
- offer a service of equal standing to Welsh and English speakers
- understand and acknowledge the bilingual nature of Wales
- give a wider access to our activities
- raise our Welsh profile and recognise ownership by Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers alike
- strengthen our appeal both within and outside Wales
- strengthen our ability to meet the requirements of funders and other partners
- ensure conformity to the linguistic and cultural specifications in legislation and best practice guidance as approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner
External Communications
Corporate Identity
The word Chapter, as a brand name, will always be used in English only.
With this one exception, Chapter’s public image and corporate identity will be fully bilingual. This includes the use of strap lines, letterheads, business cards, compliment slips and other stationery, email signatures, signs, vehicles, ticket stock, cheque books, invoices and all other business documentation.
Signs and Signage
All internal, external and electronic signs (including temporary signs displayed for more than 3 working days) will be bilingual.
The design of all signs will take into account guidelines on bilingual design as issued by the Welsh Language Commissioner, and be equal in terms of format, size, quality, legibility and prominence.
Corporate and Marketing Literature
All printed corporate publications will be fully bilingual including our Annual Reports, Access Guides and any document intended for general external communication.
Our main marketing literature will be fully bilingual.
All supplementary print produced by us will be fully bilingual and will include all artform and general literature including flyers, posters, programmes, visitor guides etc.
Exceptions to this general principle may be advertising or publicity campaigns aimed at a particular target audience outside Wales.
Marketing literature received from incoming companies, film distributers and artists etc. will be accepted in English and Welsh.
All external displays, public information stands and exhibitions will treat the two languages on a basis of equality, except where the organisers of the event rule that one of the two languages must be predominant.
We will capture language preference information from our customers whenever possible and use this data to communicate through their method and language of choice.
Origination
We will continue to commission and support the origination of promotional and discursive commentary in Welsh.
Surveys, Questionnaires and Focus Groups
All surveys and questionnaires produced by us will be bilingual.
Any incoming artists, companies or marketing organisations who wish to distribute surveys and questionnaires to our audiences will be required to get prior authorisation from us. We will make decisions whether or not to allow the distribution of questionnaires without translation on a case-by-case basis.
At least one group in any qualitative research programme will be moderated through the medium of Welsh.
Front of House
We aim to ensure that a proportion of our customer-facing staff (ushers, invigilators, café-bar staff, facilities, marketing and box office) can communicate bilingually.
We commit to ensuring that we will have Welsh-speaking staff available to support our Welsh language event programme.
Welsh-speaking staff will wear Iaith Gwaith badges where available.
Written correspondence
We welcomes written correspondence in Welsh and English and will reply in the original language of communication wherever possible.
Telephone communications
We will have a bilingual answer machine message.
An initial response will be made bilingually. If the member of staff on duty does not speak Welsh we will give the customer the option of being referred to a Welsh speaker where possible but recognize on many occasions this might not be possible.
Individual staff members who are Welsh speakers will be encouraged to leave bilingual messages with their voicemail.
Digital and social marketing and information technology
We will have a fully bilingual web presence in accordance with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s guidelines. Where content is included from outside sources including customers, other cultural organisations, our creative community etc content will be accepted in Welsh or English only. Blog posts are accepted in English or Welsh, and aren’t translated. News items will be translated whenever possible.
Customers will be able to register language choice as one of a number of communication preferences.
All staff whose work includes written communications through the medium of Welsh will be supplied with any necessary software, including Welsh fonts, Welsh spell-checker etc.
E-flyers will be sent out in the language of preference wherever possible.
Our social media presence will include a mix of English, bilingual communications plus original content produced in Welsh.
Content provided by outside sources will be posted in the language of origin.
Media Relations
Media releases will be issued according to the language preference of the recipient media organisation, journalist or publication.
Where possible we will ensure that Welsh speakers are available to undertake interviews with Welsh language press and broadcast media.
Launches, AGMs and Chapter-organised public meetings and conferences
We will strive to provide simultaneous translation facilities to enable participants to use either language.
Recruitment
All external recruitment advertising will be bilingual except for posts where Welsh is an essential requirement. These will be advertised in Welsh with an English summary.
We will identify posts where the ability to speak Welsh is essential and those where it is desirable, to identify the level of proficiency expected in each case and to formulate job descriptions and personnel specifications as appropriate.
Managers responsible for recruiting staff will assess our needs for Welsh-speaking staff when making appointments and will keep this aspect of recruitment under constant review.
Translation Services
We will use Welsh Language Commissioner-approved translators or translators who have a specialist understanding of a specific artform or topic.
Internal Communications
Documents, contracts and other communications
All internal documents, contracts and other communications shall be produced in Welsh and/or English at our discretion unless they are addressed to an individual and that individual has expressed a preference for one language over another.
Board of Trustee meetings
Agendas and minutes of full Board of Trustee meetings shall be produced in English unless otherwise requested.
Welsh-speaking staff
We respect the fact that a number of our staff are Welsh speakers and encourage staff to communicate in the language of their choice within the workplace.
We will not expect Welsh-speaking staff to act as translators for written or spoken communications unless this forms a part of their job description and they have the necessary skills to enable them to deliver this service to a high standard.
Staff development
We encourage our customer-facing staff to learn Welsh or attend refresher courses by offering financial assistance for Welsh lessons as part of their working time, where funding allows.
Informing staff
This policy is incorporated into the Company’s policies and procedures and communicated to all staff via the staff handbook, and shall be made available to all potential staff as part of their application pack for employment.
Review of Policy
This policy and its implementation will be reviewed at Board level on an annual basis and improvements made where possible.
Complaints and suggestions for improvement
Complaints related to this policy, or suggestions for improvement, should be directed to: the Co-Directors
Operational compliance
The policy is the responsibility of the Co-Directors and operational compliance is the responsibility of the Head of Communications and Marketing