| The Evening Standard : Arts World is too White, Says Black Minister |
| Monday, 24 October 2005 |
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CULTURE Minister David Lammy is accusing the arts establishment of being "too white" and putting off black visitors to museums and galleries.
The minister will warn tonight that there have been times when he was the only black person in the room as decisions about the arts were being made.
In his speech at the British Museum, Mr Lammy will say that he sees virtually no black faces in the most senior positions in the arts world.
And he will warn that the arts
world must do better, with a veiled threat of cutting subsidies if arts institutions fail to become more diverse.
The speech, being given to mark Black History Month, will say: "If the arts world is to play the role I am articulating for it, as custodians not just of national assets but of national ideas, then the sector itself must do more to reflect Britain today. But while the
progress on diversifying audiences has been welcome - albeit with much further still to go - the picture is far bleaker when we look at the complexion of the workforce of our cultural institutions.
"We know that one of the barriers for potential black and ethnic minority visitors is a sense that 'that place is not for me' or 'I do not see anyone working for that institution who looks like me.'" Mr Lammy will make the point that the only people from ethnic minorities working in many galleries and museums were recep-
tionists, security guards or support workers.
"In senior management or the curatorial professions they are conspicuous by their absence," he will say.
"When I meet leaders of cultural organisations I am far too often the only black person in the room."
Mr Lammy will tell art's leading lights that while there had been "welcome" attempts to improve diversity, there needed to be a change in attitudes.
"These need to be complemented and reinforced by an attitudinal change which signifies both a serious level of commitment at the top of the organisation, and a sense of urgency to redress perceptions that our cultural institutions are still too exclusive," his speech will say.
"Until the workforce of our cultural institutions is more reflective of society as a whole, they will be falling short of their obligations as bodies in receipt of funding raised by universal taxation."
Few arts institutions have senior figures from ethnic minority groups, with the directors of the main national galleries and museums all being white.
One of the exceptions is Ekow Eshun, director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts. The Ghanaian-born Londoner took charge of the ICA last year.
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