About us

Celebrating diversity

Race, ethnicity and faith will remain major preoccupations in this country and the arts are fundamental to such debates. The arts help us to develop a sense of our identity and ourselves as individuals, as members of our communities and as a nation.

The debate now also needs to encompass a richer and more broad-ranging definition of diversity. By ‘diversity’, we mean that we will respond to issues around race, ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, class and economic disadvantage – any social or institutional barriers that prevent people from participating in and enjoying the arts.

We have a part to play in turning the diversity debate towards a positive celebration of diversity and the artistic and creative opportunities it offers.

Recent progress

Recently we have made real progress in this area.

  • In 2004/05, 23% of individuals receiving our grants defined themselves as Black and minority ethnic artists

  • We have a far-reaching race equality scheme, and require all 1,100 regularly funded organisations to have one too

  • Our Council’s disability and Black and minority ethnic profile has improved, but we still have more to do to achieve the same profile at senior executive level

  • We have made major interventions in theatre – demonstrated by Eclipse Theatre and in 2006 the Sustained Theatre consultation on Black performing arts

  • We will continue with our decibel programme, to celebrate and raise the profile how Black and minority ethnic artists contribute to contemporary British culture

  • The review of the presentation of the visual arts and our Cultural Leadership Programme both highlight diversity considerations

  • Our disability equality scheme will be published in 2006


We will respond boldly and imaginatively to diversity to maximise the extraordinary cultural possibilities for artists and arts organisations.

Action
  • Complete our race equality scheme action plan, including implementing our race equality toolkit for funded arts organisations, and acting on the Sustained Theatre consultation
  • Improve disabled people’s take up of arts activity, raise the profile of disability-led arts and improve employment opportunities for disabled artists, by developing and implementing a new disability equality scheme and action plan
  • Provide a development programme for Black and minority ethnic arts organisations, promote debates and showcases and maintain our commitment of a minimum of 10% of our Grants for the arts awards benefitting Black and minority ethnic artists and arts organisations, to embed decibel’s achievements

Our other priorities:


Performance and delivery
Planning for the future - public value