Diversity Arts Network supports the Black Lives Matter protests and urges all funders and major businesses to address the specific challenges and barriers faced by different ethnic and diverse groups. The broad brush-stroke approach has not worked and some groups and communities have suffered higher levels of discrimination than others. Funders and major companies need to themselves have a more racially diverse senior leadership to tackle these issues and break down barriers.
DAN suggest the following strategies amongst others should be put in place:
- Extended training and mentoring given to young BAME artists
- More support and funding given to younger BAME artists and groups to encourage them to form their own companies
- More experienced companies to act as mentors to help younger BAME artists and companies
- Local and regional networks to support and help profile younger BAME artists and companies
- 50% BAME Board membership to be mandatory for all organisations to tackle racism
- Peer assessments, reviews and funding streams to have management teams with 50% BAME representation
- Funders and government bodies to seek specific sponsorship from major businesses to support BAME companies and artists
- All senior leadership and board members to have ongoing diversity and subconscious racial bias training