Our Artistic Director Natalie Ibu headed to the Creative Case for Diversity conference held in Nottingham on 15 January 2018. With new data inspiring new (or not-so-new) discussions surrounding ‘diversity’ in the arts, Natalie had a lot to say.
I started my job – running @tiatafahodzi – on the exact day, in 2014, that ACE launched the #creativecase so in many ways the CCD conferences have felt like my job birthday parties and the diversity reports – like gift vouchers for shops you don’t shop at.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
When I read the reports and attend the conferences, I’m left thinking – who are these for? And – like any good script reader – what is the central question that its asking? I don’t have an answer. I would love to know what we think/want these yearly moments to be about?
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
We have it in Elevate, Sustained, Unlimited etc. but this needs more. We all want/need for us all to roll up our sleeves, get stuck in bc when intervention occurs, change happens.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
Listen. Conversation is important so I’d hate the fear of saying it wrong to silence the conversation BUT. I said it on the day and I’ll continue to say it. All POCs at the #creativecase event said POC. ACE said BAME.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
I’d love to see us gather data on the nuance of representation. So your theatre featured 30% POCs, great well done you babes. What roles did they play? Slave? Oh. War victim? Oh. Cleaner? Oh. How much stage time did they have?
Identity is nuanced, so too should the data.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
How do we intentionally and actively bring about the change we NEED to see never mind want to see? If you know POCs – for example – need to be running major buildings, ACE write me & 10 others a 5yr professional development plan to get me ready. Groom us. Let’s get it done.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
I loved @javaadalipoor’s presentation of the racialisation of risk. He nailed it. We see it time and time again. Most first-time leaders of buildings are white.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
I loved Sara Wajid’s comment that audiences are ahead of institutions. Both in their understanding of the world but – I would add – also in how they see themselves. Intersectionality was absent from #creativecase.
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018
And here my thread of #creativecase thoughts end. I should have written a blog, shouldn’t I?
— Natalie Ibu (@NMHIBUIsHere) January 16, 2018