#shapeuk

Unfortunately factors such as race, disability and gender equality are still present nowadays and there are still barriers to creativity, participation, learning and involvement. The fullest development of the arts and creative industries are blocked by this attitude.

The Arts Council is as committed as ever to removing those attitudinal, hierarchical and class barriers that still exist. The Creative Case does not deny the worth of previous work - the moral, legal, ethical and business cases - but argues that there is a clearer, simpler and more potent position to articulate: that diversity and equality are crucial to the arts because they sustain, refresh, replenish and release the true potential of England’s artistic talent, regardless of people’s background.

This publication aims to go further than the conviction that diversity and equality are good for the arts. The Creative Case builds on what we believe to be an instinctive understanding within the arts community that diversity and creativity are inherently linked. We wish to articulate an approach that encompasses the ways in which diversity has been and remains an intrinsic and dynamic part of the creative process. (Arts Council. 2009).

The development of the Arts Council’s diversity and equality policies (Arts Council. 2009)

'Cultural diversity' is an umbrella term developed by the Arts Council, in order to implement measures to increase equality in the arts.Since there were too little responses to inequalities and only a few diverse representations Arts Council was forced to put aside funds to encourage cultural diversity.

The thrust of this work was pulled together and integrated as a legal imperative for the first time in the wake of the Macpherson Report arising out of the Stephen Lawrence affair, and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 that followed. The Arts Council’s first Race Equality Scheme 2004-07 played a major part in embedding race equality within the organization The Race Equality Scheme was complemented by a number of time-limited projects, the most prominent of which has been the decibel program and its legacy decibel Performing Arts Showcase. Subsequent legislation around disability and gender equality has begun to have a similar impact in these areas as well. In recent times, issues of equality inside the arts world have increasingly been influenced by wider debates in society at a national and global level (Arts Council. 2009).

The Equality Act 2010 legalizes the point of view for which no strand within the arts is seen as more important than others. As a consequence the Arts Council has been developing new approaches within the Creative Case framework. The Performing Arts Showcase was opened to disabled artists in 2009: It was a successful intervention that laid the foundation for the breaking down of existing disability and race ‘silos’ and a release of dialogue, collaboration and creativity (Arts Council. 2009).

In the 2011 showcase the remit was extended even further to embrace artists with ‘diverse practice’. This is defined as including, but not limited to, artists from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people or any other artist who may have had limited opportunities to participate in the arts.

Bibliography

Arts Council. 2009. What is the creative case for diversity? [Online] Available at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/pdf/What_is_the_Creative_Case_for_Diversity.pdf [Last accessed: 19th November 2012]