Wales, Culture and Race Task Force
We are proud to announce that we are supporting the Wales, Culture and Race Task Force. Our contribution will mean that 12 freelancers can be paid to join the task force and bring about urgent change.
We recognise that there is systemic and institutional racism within the arts sector in Wales and we want this to change to create a more diverse and inclusive sector.
If are interested in joining the Wales, Culture and Race Task Force we encourage you to get in touch by emailing walesculturerace@gmail.com
Please see below for full information.
Wales, Culture and Race Task Force Welsh Cultural and Creative Industries Data: Out of 67 regularly funded ACW Organisations (Portfolio/ Core Funded Organisations) only 1 is Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse led. Arts Council of Wales employs 0 staff who are Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse.
The Creative Industries in Wales has 90% of its companies based in Cardiff, 20% of Cardiff's population is Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse, the Creative Industries in Wales has a woeful 4% diverse workforce.
The arts sector in Wales needs to change and address systemic and institutional racism. The majority of funding and opportunities are still going to white-led organisations, and the funding is coming from white-led organisations. At every level, there is a lack of representation and all too often the people of colour in the arts don’t have the agency or the decision-making power to affect the change they clearly see a fundamental need for. We don’t need to hear that this is not a priority right now and we don’t need this conversation added into the ‘AOB’ section of meetings.
We don’t need promises that you’ll get to this soon. What we all need, collectively, is real change, both right now and in the long-term.
To do that, we need safe spaces, led by people of colour, to decide collectively on the change we need. This conversation needs to happen now and change needs to start immediately, but we must, as a sector, remain committed to further change and further conversations in the months and years to come.
We want to work together to coordinate our response to arts funders, arts organisations and people in positions of power and privilege. We want to create a better understanding of what we need, what we can offer and what it is fair and unfair to ask of people of colour both during this time and in the future.
A collective has begun this conversation, under the banner of the ‘Wales, Culture and Race Taskforce’. This has grown quickly and organically, and we have created a 6 Point Plan that is the starting point for further conversations. The foundations of this plan are as follows:
● Accountability
● Research
● Ambassadors
● Diversity Council
● Diverse Board Bank
● Secondments
It is crucial that this conversation is open, accessible and includes the voices of those outside of our immediate networks and find ways to support self-employed and freelance creatives to join us.
So far, we have raised £20,450 from 28 Welsh Arts Organisations and a number of individuals. This amount continues to grow daily and it is evident that there is a real longing for change. That’s why we are inviting 12 candidates/freelancers to contribute to achieving our mission for a more equitable and fair sector and society. Each person will be paid £1,000 (£160 per day for 6 days).
The group will also have an additional £8,450 budget to deliver the programme, this amount is likely to rise. They will be supported through this process by a number of the current organising group.
We are not alone in this conversation. Across the sector, a range of organisations and individuals are working to hold our institutions to account. We are extremely pleased to see the launch of the Welsh Arts Anti-Racist Union (@WAARU) in addition to the various #BlackLivesMatter Movements in Wales. This intersectional approach is crucial to change.
Please email us at walesculturerace@gmail.com with any additional questions or queries, information about the roles and which organisations are involved. We are happy to discuss the roles informally and confidentially via email or telephone. We are committed to working towards a more diverse and inclusive sector. Please also let us know if you require this job pack in a different format by dropping us an email.
Please follow us on Twitter @WalesRace_TF