Research suggests that people living in ‘more deprived’ areas are less likely to engage with cultural activity. But is that true across the board, or are there different patterns between – and within – different art forms? Mark Taylor digs deep to find out.
Relative to the nation, arts audiences are disproportionately white, middle class, middle aged, and highly educated. But the statistics used to inform this observation tend to be blunt. Just because data suggest that dance performances are an example of this pattern, does it follow that the audiences for classical ballet and contemporary dance are the same as each other?
Beyond this, we often hear scepticism about the validity of using surveys to find out about audiences in the first... more
This year Jerwood Arts published a toolkit for cultural organisations, designed to encourage greater socio-economic diversity in the arts. Julie Lomax, Chief Executive of a-n The Artists Information Company, sees it as a starting point for helping solve the sector’s ‘class crisis’ – but arts consultant Chrissie Tiller isn’t so sure.
Asking questions about someone’s social class may feel uncomfortable, but people are less sensitive than you might think. Maya Sharma and Dan Cowley explain why it’s important to tackle the subject head on – and how to go about it.
It’s been five years since Heads Together opened Chapel FM in East Leeds. Linda Strudwick looks at what can be achieved from running an arts centre in the middle of a disadvantaged community.
New Writing North is helping young people in some of the region's most socio-economically disadvantaged areas express themselves through creative writing. Laura Fraine explains how a new generation is finding its voice.
The lack of affordable skills-based training and opportunities to learn from others makes it much harder for people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop their careers in the arts. Simina Neagu and Valentina Bin took action to fill the gap.