Equality

The Barbican Centre has apologised for pulling a live-streamed talk last minute that was due to be hosted by co-founder of Palestine-based Radio Alhara, Elias Anastas, last Thursday (15 June).

According to reports from Novara Media, Anastas was told by a Barbican staff member to “avoid talking about free Palestine at length”.

Anastas’ interviewer, Nihal El Asar, was also told to “steer clear of thorny issues” such as “free Palestine…or whatever” by the same member of staff.

The Barbican cancelled the event soon after, which was due to discuss the radical possibilities of radio and how broadcasting can be used as a tool for subversion, citing technical difficulties with the live broadcast.

In a statement shared online earlier this week, the Barbican said the editorial note asking Anastas to avoid spending too much time discussing free Palestine was shared “in haste”, while adding the situation was “compounded by a technical failure”.

“This intervention by the Barbican relating to the content of the talk was unacceptable and a series error of judgement, for which we are deeply sorry,” the Barbican’s statement continues.

“As an organisation we believe in the importance of free speech, dialogue and debate - giving a platform to the experience and views of individuals and groups involved in free Palestine is part of this commitment.”

The Barbican confirmed it has since spoken and apologised to all those involved and has agreed for the talk to be rescheduled in the near future.

Tamasha theatre company has announced a three-year national programme aiming to support new writing and rebalance a Eurocentric approach to dramaturgy.

It will build on Tamasha’s Developing Artists programme, enhancing regional commissioning, providing targeted support for writers, exploring creative engagement to transform communities and looking at how to better support the needs of Global Majority writers and audiences.

It is funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, which is granting £305,000 over three years.

Tamasha will work with producing venues across the UK on artist development initiatives and engagement programmes that respond to the specific needs of local artists and communities.

A new Tamasha Regional Associate role will be shared by Director Gitika Buttoo and Director and Dramaturg Beth Kapila, who will lead on devising and delivering the programme with regional partners.

“At a time of seismic challenges across the sector, this new initiative aims to redress systemic injustices in access to development and producing opportunities,” Tamasha’s Artistic Director Pooja Ghai said.

“Decolonising our approach to dramaturgy for our Global Majority writers is both long overdue and necessary. By embracing the multiple forms of storytelling from around the world we will empower Global Majority artists to play a dynamic, leading role in the recovery of our national arts ecology.”

Sonia Mehta, Grants Manager at the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, said the new programme “promises to interrogate and reset the structures in place that shape how theatre is made and programmed and by whom – making for a richer and more inclusive sector”.

The Musicians Union (MU) is offering refugees a year’s free membership.

The scheme, which launched last week, allows musicians escaping famine, conflict and persecution to have full access to the MU’s advice and services including contract advice, legal advice and insurance cover relating to their work as musicians.

It has been made possible by the union’s collaboration with Counterpoints Arts, with the partnership hoping the initiative will help refugees build music careers in the UK.

“Solidarity and inclusion are about embracing everyone,” MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl said. 

“We want refugee musicians to flourish, avoid bad deals and exploitation, and have confidence that - should they need help - we’ll be right by their side.”

The Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG) at the University of Leicester is developing guidance on trans-inclusive practice in museums, galleries and heritage organisations.

To ensure that the advice is as useful as possible across the sector, RCMG is asking cultural organisations to complete a confidential survey detailing the challenges they are experiencing and any issues they would like the guidance to cover.

The work aims to help organisations advance their commitments to greater equality and inclusion by offering clear advise and support.

“Although more and more museums, galleries and heritage organisations are keen to develop their trans-inclusive practice – to work with communities to improve representation, to welcome trans visitors and support trans colleagues – recent months have seen increasing uncertainty and sometimes anxiety about how to take this forward,” said Richard Sandell, Co-Director of the RCMG.

“The guidance we are developing will support organisations to be ambitious and confident in their work to advance trans-inclusion and equality.”

The guidance will be developed with legal scholars from the University of Edinburgh and is set to be issued this summer.

It will include an ethical framework to guide work that seeks to advance equality for trans staff and visitors as well as guiding organisations in how to foster approaches that increase public understanding and support for trans inclusion.

A new report published by National Museums Scotland (NMS) calls for diaspora community participants in museum projects to be valued as experts and offered fair remuneration.

The report is the first stage of the Exchange: Community-Led Collections Research initiative, funded by a £250,000 grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

It outlines nine recommendations that also include the creation of safer spaces and co-designing participation so people can tell stories on their terms.

Seven museum partners around the UK were supported to carry out the research, with NMS and Royal Museums Greenwich acting as a support hub.

The partners worked with African, Caribbean, and South Asian diaspora heritage community members. Participatory research methodologies were used to explore experiences of empire, migration, and life in Britain.

John Giblin, keeper of global arts, cultures and design at NMS, said: “The key question at the centre of the Exchange project was how participation can be more equitable for diaspora heritage community members. 

“This report highlights the benefits of community-led participatory practice as well as the challenges and barriers to participation, and the nine recommendations are a valuable first step in finding an answer to that question."

The AHRC has announced £150,000 of funding for Exchange 2.0, which will aim to build on the findings of the first stage with a focus on knowledge sharing, sustainable legacy and impact.