Tackling racial inequalities
Craft Expertise, or ‘Supporting diversity and expertise development in the contemporary craft economy’ is a AHRC funded UKRI/RCUK Innovation Fellowship led by Dr Karen Patel of Birmingham City University, in collaboration with the Crafts Council. The project highlights the challenges faced by women makers of colour in the UK craft sector, including racism and microaggressions, barriers in craft education and pressure from their families to pursue seemingly more ‘stable’ careers than craft. These findings are detailed in the second working paper, aimed at a non-academic audience. The final report will be presented to a public conference to take place on June 29th.
Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings (currently on secondment with the Craft Council) is one of the commissioned artists invited to be part of the project, in the context of the Craft Council’s approach to tackling racism and inequality in the craft sector. Omeima said “As an artist I have been part of the conversation through an event, where Dr Karen Patel presented her findings and five artists were able to share our early-stage concepts for the commission which will be exhibited in the Craft Council Gallery towards the end of this year.”
Freelands Foundation and Runnymede Trust are to commission research into access to the visual arts for Black, Asian and ethnically diverse students in the UK. The two-year research programme spans early engagement with art in schools to the make-up of the professional sector. A sector-wide review will map the representation of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse artists, curators and organisational leadership, followed by an investigation into art education in secondary schools and a large-scale consultation. The final report, including guidelines, recommendations and plans for teaching and training resources, will be published in Autumn 2022.
The All Party Parliamentary group for BAME businesses owners’ report on responses to Covid 19 makes recommendations to tackle the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Black, Asian and ethnically diverse businesses. They include improvements in representation, data collection, funding and tailored business support. Case studies include businesses working in arts and culture.
The Museum Association’s Decolonisation Guidance Working Group has collected a range of resources to support and inspire decolonial practice, including research papers, blogs, articles, case studies and keynotes.
Creatively Minded and Ethnically Diverse, from The Baring Foundation, is a series of thought pieces from artists and practitioners, with professional and/or personal experience of the field, who share reflections on the challenges and barriers faced by service users, workers and organisations in the arts and mental health sector.