Code of Conduct

Hyperreality is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, body, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, or religion.
We do not tolerate harassment of any form within Hyperreality spaces. 

This applies to all attendees, artists, service providers, volunteers, and the entire Hyperreality staff.  

We acknowledge that no space can ever be 100% safe, be it due to lack of accessibility, sensory issues (light, sound), or pre-existing conflicts. To reduce harm to a minimum and provide safety within the spaces we participate in, we have taken the following steps: 

Before the Festival 

  • Long-term collaboration with an external Awareness Team (Wir Freuen Uns) 
  • Security Staff (Event Safety) specifically trained in the handling of discrimination in a club-setting
  • First-aid-trained Staff
  • Collaborative safety concept written by the awareness & security leads

During the Festival

  • Awareness Team on-site at all times
  • Awareness Base/Desk available and staffed by the Awareness Team
  • Awareness Room available as a safe, quiet space to pause and recover
  • Harm Reduction measures in place throughout the festival

After the Festival: 

The Anonymous Feedback Form is open for feedback, inquiries, and concerns until May 31st. Please leave your contact details if you would like the Awareness team or someone from the Hyperreality Team to follow up with you.

Safety & Wellbeing 

Everyone participating in the Hyperreality spaces – including, but not limited to the Festival – is required to agree to this Code of Conduct. This includes all attendees, performers, service providers, volunteers, and staff. Hyperreality spaces include the festival at Otto-Wagner Areal, screenings at the Filmcasino, as well as all online platforms associated with Hyperreality. Anyone who violates this Code of Conduct may be sanctioned or expelled from these spaces at the discretion of the core team, as well as the safety staff (Security & Awareness).

Examples of Harassment 

  • Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, body, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, or religion
  • Unwelcome comments regarding a personal choices and practices, including but not limited to food, health, drug use, sexual preference, and gender expression
  • Deliberate misgendering or use of “dead“ or rejected names
  • Uncalled for showing of sexual imagery or behaviour in spaces that are clearly not designed as such 
  • Crossing boundaries established through facial expressions, gestures, or words
  • Physical contact and simulated physical contact without explicit consent, e.g., dancing up on people from behind, touching people on the hips or lower back to make your way through a crowd 
  • Threats of violence

Hyperreality reserves the right not to act on complaints regarding 

  • ”Reverse” -isms, including“reverse racism”, “reverse sexism” or “cisphobia” 
  • Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone”, “go away” or “I’m not discussing this with you” and communication in a “tone” you don’t find “congenial”.

We will respect confidentiality requests for the purpose of protecting victims and survivors of abuse, and will not name them without their affirmative consent.

Awareness & Reporting

The Awareness Team are the first point of contact providing assistance when someone feels uncomfortable, overwhelmed, physically or emotionally unwell, is being discriminated against, harassed verbally or physically, or doesn’t want to/can’t intervene in situations that feel threatening.

If you are being harassed or notice that someone else is being harassed, refer to our Awareness team on-site. You can recognize the team members by their high-visibility vests or find them at the awareness desk.  

If the person who is harassing you is on the Hyperreality team (including the safety staff), they will be withdrawn from handling your incident. Know that we take your requests seriously and will make sure to involve someone impartial and qualified who can respond to you as promptly as possible.



Consequences

Participants of the festival asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the safety staff may take any action they deem appropriate. The core team reserves the right to permanently exclude people breaching the Code of Conduct Hyperreality from all Hyperreality spaces.

Disclaimers

Photography

By attending this festival, you acknowledge that images may be captured during the event using photography and video, and that unless you request otherwise these images may be used to promote the festival, or any events taking place therein, in future, or provided to the media for publication.

Injuries and lost Items

Hyperreality festival is not responsible for any loss, theft, damage or injury that may occur during the festival. If you lost something you can send an email: hello@hyperreality.at

Thanks for your cooperation, 
Hyperreality and Wir Freuen Uns 

*Contractually binding Code of Conduct signed by all artists and staff