'Knowledge is power' may be an old adage but it's a true one, and for Eastern Touring Agency's (ETA) Diversity Programme it is particularly relevant, writes Sara Phillips.
Training is fundamental to achieving our goal of increasing the quantity and raising the quality of Black, Asian and Chinese arts product presented in the East of England.
The arts marketplace is becoming increasingly complex and competitive; creativity must be coupled with administration skills, energy with the ability to communicate, and vision with an understanding of the arts establishment. Proficiency or knowledge of the 'business' of being an artist often translates into power - receiving funds, being programmed and having your work seen by a wide audience. Those who are not familiar with the administrative systems of venues and funding bodies are at an obvious disadvantage to those that are, and a disproportionate number of artists from ethnic minorities fall into this category.
ETA's Diversity Programme Manager Pauline Catlin-Reid has been working with Black, Asian and Chinese artists in the East of England since the Diversity Programme pilot in 1999.Through extensive consultation and the setting up of local forums she found that these artists were often unaware of the funding system or the working practices of mainstream venues. They also wanted their work to be seen in theatres and galleries but had been used to using non-traditional spaces. Many factors contribute to this situation, ranging from a traditional emphasis on working within the community and the fact that due to financial constraints many fit artistic work around a full time job. The ultimate consequence of these circumstances is the prevailing euro-centric and western bias in arts programming.
The Diversity Programme's answer to overcoming the imbalance between its members' experience and aspirations and exclusion from mainstream arts is to invest significant resources in long-term professional development; in other words, training events with swift and tangible results. Our most successful training events include:
RALP - the nuts & bolts of making a funding application: Participants are advised of the ingredients that comprise a successful application for Regional Arts Lottery Programme funding by working directly on their own applications, as funding-speak and criteria are often difficult to understand.
Basic principles of marketing & PR: By de-mystifying the marketing process, this training enables participants to take charge of their own promotion, plan their own campaigns and deal effectively with the venues that receive their work.
Working with venues: In addition to giving Diversity Programme members an insight into the operational aspects of working with a venue (stage management, lighting, sound, box office) these events also give venue managers an understanding of cultural diversity issues and the scope of work available.
We have had some remarkable results. Ho Law, a visual artist from Peterborough received training in fundraising and project management and subsequently felt confident enough to curate his first exhibition, Neo Metamorphosis, which toured to three towns in the east of England, leading also to further exhibitions and workshops.
Training guidelines
Through the Diversity Programme, a number of basic principles for running training of this nature have been developed:
- Start with a clear idea of the outcomes your participants require and base your event around them.
- Take time to understand the level of training required and pitch it accordingly. We gauge each member's level of experience through a series of one-to-one meetings; this enables us to place them in a group where they will receive the training best suited to their needs.
- Consider the timing of your event. Training events tend to be automatically scheduled mid-week. We tend to hold events on Sundays to accommodate those who have full-time jobs.
Use trainers who have a first-hand understanding of the issues involved. The Diversity Programme involves East England Arts staff for training on funding applications; teachers to deliver training on school workshops; and local venues for topics like stage management. This helps to break down barriers and aid communication between artists and the 'arts establishment'.
Diversity Programme training is about empowering its participants to enter the arts market place with knowledge and information that is often taken for granted. This is one step towards arts in the East of England reflecting the rich diversity of the region.
Sara Phillips is Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator for Eastern Touring Agency t: 01223 500202 e: sara@e-t-a.org.uk