Diversity in the arts & creative industries

“We live in one of the most diverse societies the world has ever seen, yet this is not reflected in the culture we produce, or in who is producing it.”

Sir Brian McMaster’s 2008 report to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport into excellence in the arts

Current situation

In the arts, 95% of people are white (65% of these male).

As low as 4% of people are BME.

CCSkills: Skillset 2008 survey of Creative Media Workforce

Why?

Access to jobs80% of jobs gained through closed networks of contacts.

Unpaid internships often sourced through these contacts.

Pathways into sector remain preserve of privileged.

Creative Survival in Hard Times, New Deal of the Mind, 2010

The Arts Group

Impacts on the sector

Inequality

What about talent?

Less varied collaborations / diversity connected to creativity

A national culture that is not representative of society or able to fully develop

What can be done?

Positive experiences of sector

Role models

Training/apprenticeships and supported internships where appropriate

Recruitment

Arts Council measures (collaboration and sharing of resources)

Whose doing it right in Bristol?

Ujima Radio

Afrika Eye

Watershed

Bristol City Council – Black History Month (national)

The Yardstick programme (national)

Conclusion

Make a move towards greater equality

Work to remove barriers in the arts world

Diversity needs to be made central to the debate on culture to change the situation

Make our creative industries the best it can be

Additional information Sources:

Sir Brian McMaster’s 2008 report to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport into excellence in the artsCreative Survival in Hard Times, New Deal of the Mind, 2010CCSkills: Skillset 2008 survey of Creative Media Workforcehttp://www.ethnicity.ac.uk/population/size.htmlhttp://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/council_and_democracy/statistics_and_census_information/Population%20of%20Bristol%20August%202013.pdfhttp://www.vaga.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=860:creative-survival-in-hard-times-a-new-deal-of-the-mind-report-published&catid=62:news&Itemid=85http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/30/diversity-arts-cuts-minority-theatrehttp://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/pdf/What_is_the_Creative_Case_for_Diversity.pdfhttp://www.irr.org.uk/research/statistics/poverty/http://www.voice4change-england.co.uk/content/sharing-knowledge-and-experiences-key-bme-arts-organisationshttp://afrikaeye.org.uk and http://www.ujimaradio.com and http://www.tnbfc.co.uk/tnb-bristol.php

Some further reading around this topic…

http://www.sustainedtheatre.org.uk

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/sep/20/black-dance-history-british-routes

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/young-gifted-and-black-ndash-and-ignored-2196311.html

http://eyonart.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/tate-britain-highlights-legacy-of-black.html

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/jan/03/world-festival-of-black-arts-kwei-armah

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/organisationfinder?Task=orglist&Subject=16

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2013/aug/21/women-artists-critics-glass-ceiling

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2013/sep/09/african-art-welcome-renaissance

http://www.bristol-culture.com/2013/04/22/bristol-arts-and-culture-power-list/

Events in the South West

Dublin 2 Delhi toured this summer

http://www.asianartsagency.co.uk/what-is-on/circle-of-sound

http://www.asianartsagency.co.uk/what-is-on/bollywood-a-bhangra-extravaganza-with-the-bollywood-brass-band

Black History Month - http://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/community_and_safety/equality_and_diversity/BlackHistory%202012.pdf (http://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk)

Watershed Black History Month: Charles Burnett in Conversation (Sun 6 Oct at 15:00) / I Am The Gorgon + Live Event (Thu 10 Oct at 20:30) with Bunny Lee Striker & The Roots of Reggae Intro + Q&A / The Fade + Intro + Q&A (Sun 13 Oct at 18:00) and more…

Watch Watershed’s website for details of the upcoming Afrika Eye Festival (Nov)

http://www.ujimaradio.com