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Boxed In: how cultural diversity policies constrict black artists

—Sonya Dyer

‘Art is Black – culturally diverse artists on show’
—Headline on Arts Council England leaflet to promote decibel

The first time I read this headline, I felt sick. There had been plenty of hype in previous weeks among my artist peers about decibel, the Arts Council’s new flagship programme for promoting ‘diverse’ art, and much talk and excitement about who was and who was not going to be included in this promotional leaflet. Many of my non-white artist friends featured in the interviews, but the decibel scheme itself remained an unknown quantity. Working for an arts organisation meant that I was privy to details about decibel that most other artists were not. Its stated aim was to fund a series of events, projects and platforms to showcase the work of ‘diverse’ artists. From the beginning it seemed rather tokenistic to me, but the absurdity of the leaflet was still a surprise. It reminded me of an advertisement for a circus – ‘Roll up! Roll up! Culturally diverse artists on show!’

The leaflet perplexed and enraged me in equal measure. On the one hand, it was great to see so many of my peers being given recognition for their work. Yet, on the other hand, I could not help wondering, why are non-white artists being paraded around like this? Is the general public supposed to be surprised that so-called ‘culturally diverse’ artists exist? More importantly, what is meant by ‘culturally diverse’ art or artists? Does art made by someone who happens to be non-white automatically count as ‘diverse’? Can’t we (non-white people) ever just make art?

Today, the world abounds with funding programmes like decibel. It appears that British African, Caribbean, Asian and Chinese artists have multiple options open to them (and only them) to enhance their career opportunities and get their work seen. Many people would regard this as a positive gain.

However, in the past few years, while working in the arts sector and talking to friends and colleagues, I have come to believe that programmes like decibel are creating more problems than they solve. They are in danger of ghettoising black artists by creating a separate system of funding and exhibition. These kinds of official diversity policies patronise black and minority artists by treating them as if they are incapable of making it into the artistic ‘mainstream’. They also deny the existence of non-white artists, administrators and curators who are successfully making their way in the world without the help of such policies. There is huge talent out there among British artists and curators from non-white backgrounds. Cultural institutions should be working with and engaging these people as individuals, who are judged on their merits, rather than ticking ethnic boxes and funding by target.

What I aim to do with this provocation essay is to question the presumptions about non-white artists, curators and administrators that shape the current diversity landscape, and to suggest alternative ways forward. In particular, I want to challenge the weak arguments promoted by the government, via the Department for Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS), and through its funded clients, Arts Council England (ACE) and Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), about the supposed lack of non-white professionals in the arts sector and how best to address this ‘problem’.

Many of the ideas developed in this essay have come from talking honestly with friends and colleagues who share similar concerns. I have long wanted to make public these private conversations that have been taking place among both white and non-white artists, with a view to encouraging more open debate in the arts sector. Where possible, I have attributed quotations to named individuals, but inevitably, many people I spoke to (who may rely on public funding or work in the ‘diversity’ sector) were only willing to speak anonymously.

I am not claiming to have all the answers. Nor do I wish to disparage artists or curators who privilege their ethnicity above all else in their art. What I am interest in is how we (‘non-white’ artists, curators and arts administrators) can achieve greater autonomy than is possible in the current situation. At the very least, we need to question what we are constantly told about ourselves. Let’s start a real public debate. We have nothing to lose.

Read more: Boxed In: how cultural diversity policies constrict black artists

This report was first published by the Manifesto Club in May 2007, and is presented here by kind permission.

Sonya Dyer is a London-based artist and arts consultant, with more than five years’ experience in arts administration and artists’ professional development. She has worked for Artquest, the advice and information service for visual artists; and as artists’ advisor at Turner Contemporary, Margate. Her projects include the series of talks, ‘Current Thinking’, at Tate Modern.

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