All of Us: How one arts centre responded to the discovery just 1% of its workforce was disabled

In 2023, a review of Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)’s workforce revealed an urgent need to address the organisation’s low representation of employees identifying as disabled, d/Deaf, or neurodivergent.

Our data showed that within a workforce of 225 people, only 1% identified as disabled, compared to 18% of Birmingham’s population in the 2021 census and 9% of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations’ workforce in 2022/23.

Given MAC’s significant efforts to engage disabled communities artistically, this hit the team hard. We had fallen below our own standards within the MAC workforce.

We urgently needed to understand why we weren’t attracting a more diverse range of candidates through our existing recruitment processes, and indeed whether there were colleagues who, for whatever reason, did not feel comfortable sharing their lived experiences of disability with us.

It was a defining moment. We simply cannot call ourselves an inclusive arts organisation if our greatest asset—our people—can’t see themselves reflected.

The origins of All of Us

In response, the All of Us project launched in April 2023, approved by MAC’s board members and with support from Art Fund’s Reimagine Grant programme. The first step involved looking at how current disabled and neurodivergent staff view MAC as a workplace.

It was vital to build trust across the organisation, so we engaged an independent consultant, Emily Jones, to lead the process over an 18-month period. She acted impartially, conducting anonymous surveys, facilitating focus groups and leading one-to-one conversations. Her role as critical friend and disability champion was well-received by MAC colleagues.

Over 18 months, we set targets to deliver steady and meaningful change. We provided regular updates, via town hall events, newsletters and board committees, meeting with specialist disability organisations, artists and freelancers for advice. Improving the quality and frequency of communication was paramount to the project’s success.

Five promises

A key change was the creation of MAC’s five team promises, reflecting our commitment to becoming a more welcoming and accessible workplace. Created by the MAC staff body, the following promises are designed to promote positive action:

1. We have empathy and respect

2. We think about others

3. We communicate clearly

4. We challenge

5. We learn together

To date, practical and policy changes we have made include:

• Regular disability awareness training for all new staff
• Training for managers to help them support disabled colleagues, and one-to-one coaching for disabled colleagues to help them approach any barriers they might be facing at work
• The creation of in-house ‘Wellbeing Champions’, paid roles promoting positive health and wellbeing at MAC
• A review of internal communications, including the creation of a simple writing guide, adoption of plain English and a friendlier, informal tone in ‘all staff’ emails
• The introduction of a new quiet room and enhancements to staff areas to make them as relaxing as possible – free from laptops

The All of Us project has given us increased confidence to explore new engagement models with partner organisations and advance our learning. The most significant partnership has been with the Mencap Training Academy.

This national programme provides supported internships for young people aged 16–24 who have a learning disability, enabling a structured transition from education into employment. The programme aligns strongly with MAC’s values; since 2023, we’ve welcomed ten volunteers, leading to paid employment for five young people across our technical, customer services and catering departments. 

Only the beginning

The project has unquestionably produced tangible, positive change, but we recognise that this is only the beginning. All of Us has produced insightful data and testimonies about how we currently do things at MAC. However, achieving a work culture of trust, compassion and support across a large organisation is a long-term, ongoing process.

Going forward, some of our imminent priorities will be to keep improving communication across the organisation; to improve understanding between teams; to look at more options for hybrid working; to examine freelance contracts; and to improve our recruitment and induction practices. It’s not solely about HR processes either – through consultation, we have developed a better understanding of how to make changes to MAC’s physical environment that will help colleagues thrive.

Ultimately, the All of Us project has culminated in a set of defined recommendations, ensuring current and future team members have everything they need to succeed at work.

At the end of September, we held an open celebration event for everyone to enjoy and foster pride in the journey we have been on together. Most importantly, representation for employees who identify as disabled, d/Deaf, or neurodivergent has significantly increased, from 1% to 12%.

The reality that faced us two years ago was clear: we needed to act, not only from a human resources standpoint, but critically, from a responsible business perspective. The All of Us project was designed with disabled team members in mind but in reality it has led to enormous buy-in from all colleagues who value organisation-wide positive change.