Allow me to start this blog by being unequivocal: Black Lives Matter. Until this is shown to be true through actions as well as words, we cannot claim to be a society that values all human life equally.

I was appalled by the violent death of George Floyd. Of Ahmaud Arbery. Of Breonna Taylor. And of too many others. Although their deaths and the subsequent protests have shone a spotlight on racism and racial violence in ways that we have not seen globally for a generation, the issues we are being asked to consider are not new. As we are hearing, fear of the power wielded by the institutions that are meant to keep us all safe is a daily fact of life for many Black people.

It would be wrong to begin this reflection without acknowledging that I am a white man, and a person who has worked for many years at a senior level in major cultural organisations. I interact regularly with government ministers and leaders throughout the cultural and creative industries. Undoubtedly, I have influence, access and privilege and experience institutions in a very different way to people who don’t. I clearly cannot speak from a lived experience of racism. But I never forget that the source of my influence is my position as a servant of the public. All public servants are here to serve everyone. We are accountable to everyone.

That’s why I’ve written this blog post. It follows a great deal of thought, and I hope you feel that it demonstrates a commitment to listening and to learning. And to making change happen.

The situation in the cultural sector

I have often said that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Although nearly all cultural spaces are formally open to everyone, in practice they may only be accessible to a select group who have the financial, social or cultural capital to feel at home in them. Even leaving aside the economic or social arguments for greater diversity, which are compelling, this situation is unjust.

Perhaps those of us in positions of influence are guilty of not listening enough, not learning quickly enough, and not prioritising actions that could make our organisations and our sector a more inclusive place. So what do we need to do differently? There are some factors that are beyond the scope of the Arts Council’s work. Some of the structural issues facing Black and minority ethnic people cannot be addressed effectively only on a sector-by-sector basis. But where we do have agency, we are working to deliver change. I have never believed that my role at the Arts Council is about chasing short-term headlines. Instead, we act for the long-term good, making strategic decisions that deliver impact over time. Our actions need to be meaningful, measurable, purposeful – and, most importantly, they need to bring about the difference we want to see.

So what action are we taking?

At the Arts Council we have a longstanding commitment to creating a more inclusive sector through increasing our investment in diverse organisations, monitoring and publicising levels of diversity in our workforce, through the Creative Case for Diversity and through programmes such as Elevate, Changemakers and Transforming Leadership. I want to acknowledge here the exemplary leadership and bravery of the Black leaders involved in those programmes as well as others across the sector who have challenged racism, spoken out and provided support for their peers. This is an example of the courageous leadership needed if we are to really change. But it will take decisive leadership from those of us not directly affected too. At the Arts Council, our commitment to making this change a reality is total, but we are still a long way from the destination that we must reach. That is why we have ensured we will build on this work in our new 10 year strategy, Let’s Create.

Our commitment to promoting inclusivity throughout the arts, museums and libraries is central to the Investment Principles that underpin that strategy. Work is happening now on mechanisms under that Investment Principle to ensure opportunities for employment and leadership in our sector are truly open to people of talent, whatever their background. I have blogged before about how we are also hard at work in my own organisation, to create a more diverse workforce. This is a commitment that I firmly believe in, and one that I know is shared by colleagues throughout Arts Council England. If we want to broaden the audiences for arts and culture, and to make the sector a place where everyone feels at home, then we need to make sure that funders, commissioners, artists and workforces who are in receipt of taxpayers’ and National Lottery players’ money reflect the people we are not currently reaching.

We will also reflect our commitment to inclusion and antiracism in our relationships with the organisations we fund. In the last few days, we have seen organisations throughout the sector expressing solidarity with Black people in the struggle against racism. But we have also heard stories of people experiencing prejudice, intolerance and racism when interacting with some cultural organisations. This is unacceptable, and if any concerns are raised with us about an organisation or project we fund we will challenge those in receipt of public investment to show how they are complying with equality legislation, and their funding agreement with us. Where they are found to be in breach we will not hesitate to take appropriate action.

Once again, allow me to be unequivocal here: it is clear that despite our best intentions, we have so far failed to create the systemic, structural changes needed for our sector to be truly diverse, inclusive and welcoming to people from all backgrounds. There is still a long way to go to ensure that the creative industries reflect the way England looks today.

Covid-19

Our plans to deliver Let’s Create are for after the immediate crisis caused by Covid-19. The racial inequalities facing us are only made starker by the current pandemic, which is disproportionately affecting people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. This means we need to take action now. We are putting our commitment to tackling this inequality at the forefront of our plans to help the sector get back on its feet as we emerge from the crisis. We will talk about this more soon, but in essence it means ensuring the policies we create and investments we make to support the sector through Covid-19 must focus on Black artists and organisations, alongside other groups, including D/deaf and disabled people, who have experienced discrimination and disadvantage during this crisis.

All our problem

I know that this blog may be regarded by some as being ‘just words’. But I hope that you might recognise that they are words that come from the heart and after a good deal of thought. They are also words that have concrete policy actions behind them. Over the coming days, weeks, months and years, I will do my best at the Arts Council to use my influence to create meaningful long-term change. I know that I share this aim with my Arts Council colleagues across the country. I hope you will tell us what you think, and hold us to account.

In conclusion, I can do no better than to defer to George Mpanga, a member of Arts Council England’s National Council, but better known as George the Poet. He spoke powerfully about racism in the UK on Newsnight this week. George noted the ‘disturbing parallels between the Black British experience and the African American experience’. We need to be clear about this – racism is not a uniquely American issue. It exists all around us, and it’s not someone else’s or somewhere else’s problem. It’s all of our problem. It’s my problem. And it’s the Arts Council’s problem.