Diversity

Conference delegates heard that unconscious bias in recruitment continues to be a serious problem.

Human resources

Arts leaders slam ‘new paternalism’ of diversity initiatives

29 Mar 2019

Southbank Centre’s Creative Director has called for a “much more disruptive intervention”.

Access

Investing in the workforce

A woman, on scaffolding, installing lighting in a theatre

28 Mar 2019

How can we attract a diverse workforce into the arts sector? Robert West says arts organisations can start by dismantling the barriers they are putting up themselves.

An art programme for everyone

A group of people talking around a table.

28 Mar 2019

Case study

Emma Edmondson introduces an alternative postgraduate art programme, designed to fit around the lives and bank balances of today’s artists.

Experiencing words visually

Photo of Charlotte Arrowsmith in rehearsal for As You Like It

21 Mar 2019

Charlotte Arrowsmith, who is performing in two plays with the RSC this summer, explains the challenges and opportunities involved when deaf actors are cast in mainstream productions.

Encouraging signs

Charlotte Arrowsmith acting in As You Like It

20 Mar 2019

Opinion

The casting of deaf actor Charlotte Arrowsmith in a current RSC production illustrates how committing to diversity does not mean being worthy or boring, says Jonathan Knott.

Access

The ArtsPay 2018 survey has provided the opportunity for the realities of earnings in the arts & cultural sector to be better understood. This final report and associated analysis, together with commentary by the ArtsProfessional team and others, all contribute to a much clearer picture of the state of pay in 2018.

Ditch focus on academic achievement to diversify arts, employers urged

08 Mar 2019

London’s creative sector has failed to diversify its workforce despite significant job growth since 2012, a new report concludes.

Diversity organisation celebrates placing 1000th paid intern

01 Mar 2019

Children and young people

Creative Access, set up in 2012, has placed hundreds of candidates from under-represented backgrounds with organisations including the National Theatre, Tate and Leeds Playhouse.

An unexpected gift

Photo of four people helping pack mailouts

28 Feb 2019

Case study

A welcome surprise of five-year funding provided the opportunity for Cardiff's Sherman Theatre to diversify its audiences, boost volunteering and develop a relationship with a time credit network. Julia Barry tells the story.

My Gurus - Hannah Ishmael

28 Feb 2019

Arts People

Hannah Ishmael, an archivist at the Black Cultural Archives, reflects on the colleagues, thinkers and activists who have guided her career.

Research

Escaping the catch-22

21 Feb 2019

Little has changed in the ten years since John Holden first shone a spotlight on the damaging disconnect between the arts sector and the public at large. Could the mass realisation of personal creativity provide a way forward?

Book review: A Restless Art

21 Feb 2019

Book review

Lucy Neal welcomes François Matarasso's nuanced and passionate exploration of the growing field of participatory art.

Slow progress on diversity at England’s largest arts organisations

15 Feb 2019

The proportion of ‘unknown’ data on ethnicity at large organisations has rocketed up, raising serious questions about the quality of data.

Young people under-represented in the arts, research finds

15 Feb 2019

Detailed information on the demographics of the creative workforce has been released for the first time in seven years.

Data

Mayor launches trust to support affordable artist workspaces

A man wearing gloves working with tools at a table

08 Feb 2019

The Creative Land Trust, backed by seed funding of £4m from City Hall and £2m from Arts Council England, will seek additional finance from property developers and ask London councils to safeguard affordable workspaces.

Report challenges Minister’s claim of ‘stable’ arts GCSE takeup

08 Feb 2019

Children and young people

An analysis of the Department for Education’s own figures finds that since 2014, the proportion of students taking music GCSE has fallen by 17%, and the proportion taking at least one arts GCSE has fallen by almost 18%.

Education

Exploitation rife as unpaid work subsidises the arts

A group of people sitting in a circle holding papers

08 Feb 2019

Working practices that “wouldn't be tolerated in any other industry” have become the norm across the sector, with employees and freelances expected to work for nothing to enable their artistic output to be delivered.

Exclusive: Music A level denied to ever more students

A close up of a person's hand playing the guitar

01 Feb 2019

Children and young people

A student’s academic ability and the wealth of their parents are key indicators of the likelihood that they will get the chance to study arts subjects at A level in school, new figures reveal.

Education

The myth of meritocracy

Photo of a girl learning on a craft apprenticeship

24 Jan 2019

The cultural sector has become a self-endorsing closed shop and it’s high time for a shake-up. Simon Dancey throws down the gauntlet and commits to leading the charge.

Human resources