Ethical engagement

Our engagement approach

Darling Darling is a creative collaboration with sex workers — our first peer-led partnership. We know we won’t get everything perfect the first time. We may make mistakes, and when we do, we’ll listen, reflect, and make changes. This is a living process of learning together — grounded in care, consent, and community.

Here’s how we put our values into practice.

How we do it: We start by listening. We ask for feedback, take it seriously, and adjust our approach as needed. Every decision — from first contact to final exhibition — is made with, not for, our community.

We recognise each participant’s agency, identity, and lived experience

How we do it: We talk through visibility options at the beginning and revisit them often. Participants can stay anonymous, use a pseudonym, or be named. We document preferences clearly and check in before any public sharing.

Everyone has the right to choose how (or if) they’re represented.

How we do it: We invite participants to co-design artworks, co-write text, and be credited as collaborators. Face-out workers may represent the project publicly, while others can stay private — both roles are equally recognised in creative and public materials.

This project is co-led by sex workers.

Our approach is guided by ethics of care — valuing attentiveness, responsibility, mutual respect and the building of relationships.

How we do it: We ask each person what access, timing, or communication works best, adapt our approach to reduce barriers, and consult with peer-led organisations like Scarlet Alliance and SWOP NSW to ensure participation is safe, respectful, and inclusive.

We know experiences of marginalisation affect how people participate.

How we do it: We base our engagement on the Protocols for Using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts (Creative Australia, 2025) and Aboriginal Arts and Culture Protocols (NSW Government, 2022). We seek community guidance and approval before storytelling, respect cultural protocols, manage Indigenous cultural intellectual property (ICIP) fairly, and ensure artists maintain control over their work. Our approach recognises connections to land, language, law, and ceremony, fostering trust and upholding the integrity of Indigenous stories and traditions.

First Nations self-determination is central to our approach.

How we do it: We use plain language and revisit consent regularly — before interviews, shoots, editing, or exhibition. Participants can withdraw or change their mind at any point, including after artworks are finalised.

Consent is never a one-off.

How we do it: We offer stipends to reduce barriers to participation, with flexible options such as vouchers, cash, invoices, or direct payment. Where possible, we tailor these to individual needs and circumstances. We also provide free and in-kind opportunities that support skill development, community connection, and networking, ensuring everyone benefits meaningfully from their involvement.

We value participants’ time, creativity, and labour and aim to ensure mutual benefits in our collaborations.

How we do it: We aim for accessible venues and offer flexible formats — face-to-face, online, or creative diversity. We welcome Auslan interpreters or other adjustments on request, and schedule around people’s energy, safety, and support needs when we can.

Participation should be easy and comfortable.

How we do it: While we do not have funding to provide translators in our workshops, we open additional spaces to participants who wish to bring a friend or colleague who may be able to assist in the interpretation and translation of content (which will be delivered in English).

We acknowledge that there is a large cohort of culturally and linguistically diverse peers participating in this industry. We welcome their stories.

How we do it: We approach established industry services such as SWOP, Scarlet Alliance, and specific advisory groups such as DWAG, AMSWAG and ATSISWAG to help promote our workshops and reach broad, established audiences.

Darling Darling endeavours to represent stories from the breadth of those in our industry (who offer full-service experiences), including street workers, private escorts, massage parlour and brothel workers.

How we do it: We stay true to our purpose—to humanise sex work by revealing the beauty in ordinary, everyday experiences. Through art, we turn these stories into acts of advocacy, connection, and care.

We know there are many stories to tell, and we can’t tell them all. Some belong elsewhere, and we honour those who came before us.

How we do it: We share drafts, edits, or artworks before anything is published or exhibited. Participants can request changes, add context, or withdraw content.

Everyone has the right to final say.

How we do it: We create space for reflection — through debriefs, feedback sessions, and open conversations. We document what works and what doesn’t and update our approach in real time.