Code of Conduct

Sydney Games Festival is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive space where everyone can freely express themselves, have fun and engage without judgement or harassment. By participating in the festival or its community, you agree to follow this Code of Conduct. Attempts to bypass it through coded language, insinuations or plausible deniability will not be tolerated.

Code for everyone

This Code applies to everyone participating in Sydney Games Festival events, related online spaces and associated social gatherings. Our ability to act may be limited at unofficial gatherings, but related conduct may still affect future festival participation.

Inclusive and respectful behaviour

Sydney Games Festival thrives by maintaining an environment of respect and understanding. Everyone deserves to feel welcome and comfortable. Unacceptable behaviour includes, but is not limited to:

• Harassment, bullying, patronising or belittling others, deliberate intimidation or threats.
• Discrimination based on race or cultural background—including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity—nationality, age, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, appearance, pregnancy, family or carer status, socioeconomic background, or any other identity or personal characteristic.
• Lewd or inappropriate comments or innuendos, unwelcome sexual attention, or sexualised content without appropriate context or warning.
• Non-consensual physical contact, stalking or following.
• Deliberate misgendering or use of a name that a person has asked others not to use.
• Unwanted photography or recording, or sharing another person’s private information without permission.
• Sustained disruption of talks, games, performances or other activities.
• Bringing real weapons or objects—including props—not designed for safe cosplay use that could cause harm.
• Hate speech, violence, or threats of violence both online and offline
• Encouraging or enabling any of the above, or retaliating against or victimising someone for raising a concern.

If you are informed that your behaviour is disrespectful, or recognise such behaviour in yourself, please pause, reflect and adjust moving forward.

Professional behaviour

Festival activities include both networking and recreation. Participants are expected to:

• Respect other people’s boundaries, names and pronouns.
• Ask before offering advice or feedback, and keep feedback constructive rather than sarcastic, condescending or dismissive.
• Avoid aggressive self-promotion, advertising, gossip and personal attacks.
• Not allow alcohol or other substances to make their behaviour unsafe, disruptive or uncomfortable for others.
• Follow reasonable instructions from event organisers, venue staff and safety contacts.

Reporting a concern

If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, or witness someone being disrespected, report the concern using the process published by the relevant event organiser. You may report something that happened to you or something you witnessed, and you do not need to confront the person involved or have complete evidence before raising a concern.

If reporting to the organiser would be unsafe or inappropriate, the concern involves an organiser, or the response has been inadequate, use the festival’s contact page. Reports will be taken seriously and handled as discreetly as reasonably possible. Retaliation or victimisation for raising or supporting a concern is a breach of this Code.

If anyone is in immediate danger, contact venue staff or security and call emergency services on 000.

The relevant event organiser will normally respond first. Depending on the circumstances, action may range from asking someone to stop their behaviour to removing them from an activity or venue. Serious, repeated, unresolved or festival-wide concerns may be escalated to Sydney Games Festival and may result in conditions on participation, removal from the festival program or exclusion from future festival events. Serious matters may also be referred to venue security, emergency services or another appropriate authority.

Accessibility and wellbeing

Event organisers are responsible for publishing accessibility information and providing a way to request reasonable adjustments. Advance notice can help organisers make arrangements, but participants may also ask for support during an event. If you feel overwhelmed, please take a break or reach out to an organiser for support.

Requirements for event organisers

Sydney Games Festival events are independently operated. Each organiser, in collaboration with their venue, is responsible for the safety and rules of its event and for responding to incidents there.

All participating organisers agree to follow this Code as a minimum standard and to respect Sydney Games Festival decisions about festival participation or exclusion. Organisers may adopt additional event-specific expectations, but they must not contradict or weaken this Code. An organiser may adopt this Code directly rather than creating a separate one.

At a minimum, participating event organisers must:

• Publish their own Code or link to this Code and clearly communicate any additional event rules.
• Provide a clear reporting contact and, where reasonably possible, an alternative if that person is involved in a concern.
• Brief staff and volunteers on expected behaviour, receiving reports and when to escalate them.
• Communicate relevant accessibility, venue, age, content and safety information before the event.
• Respond promptly to safety concerns, manage conflicts of interest and protect reporters and witnesses from retaliation or victimisation.
• Escalate serious, repeated or unresolved concerns to Sydney Games Festival where it is safe, appropriate and consistent with privacy and legal obligations.

Venue conditions of entry and event-specific ticketing terms may also apply. Venue staff retain authority over admission, security and removal from the venue.

Events for children and young people

Each organiser decides whether its event admits people under 18. Events that do must clearly communicate age eligibility, supervision requirements, relevant content information, photography arrangements and how a young person can ask for help. Organisers must follow safeguarding practices appropriate to their event and any applicable NSW child-safety and Working With Children Check requirements.

Questions or concerns

For questions or concerns relating to this Code or any part of Sydney Games Festival, use our contact page or email contact@sydneygamesfestival.org.

By following this Code, we can ensure everyone is treated with dignity while having fun and contributing without judgement.

Last updated: 17 August 2026.