The Grammy Awards announced Wednesday that next year's awards show would include an inclusion rider to ensure the show is more diverse.
The Academy said the 64th annual awards would be produced with a "contract addendum designed to be a powerful tool to ensure equity and inclusion at every level of the production."
"We're honored to work alongside Color Of Change and the Inclusion Rider's esteemed co-authors as we take this monumental step to ensure equitable industry standards that support a more diverse and inclusive music community," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, in a press release. "As the Academy continues its transformational journey, diversifying our industry is at the core of every decision we make. We're dedicated to fostering an environment of inclusion industry-wide and hope that our efforts set an example for our peers in the music community."
The rider would require the production company staging the show to recruit, audition, interview, and hire people who have been "historically and systematically excluded from the industry," the academy said.
According to the Associated Press, actress Frances McDormand first mentioned the term “inclusion rider” in 2018 during her best actress Oscar's acceptance speech.
The Academy said the full inclusion rider would be released to the public on Sept. 16.
