Past Events
- The IoI at SPIT-LIT 2006
- The Battle for Culture - diversity or divisiveness?
- Venue: Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, London E2 ( Bethnal Green tube)
- Date: March 11, 2006
- Time: 2.30- 4 pm
- Booking: For tickets call: 020 7247 2584
Reflecting and promoting cultural diversity is a policy priority for arts organisations today. The celebration of cultural diversity has become mainstream and is endorsed by all the major figures in arts institutions. Through its Decibel project, for example, Arts Council England proclaims it puts diversity at the heart of its work. Now is the time to publicly debate what is fast becoming an orthodoxy.
Should diversity per se be accepted as a positive objective? Some argue that it is a sign of a healthy pluralistic society, a challenge to cultural imperialism, racial discrimination and a narrow, elitist arts scene. But recently there have been rumblings of dissent. It is said that cultural diversity policies are no more than a superficial box-ticking. Some artists complain of the burden of representation, whereby artists feel they have to ethnicise their ‘product’ in order to get support and funding. Making artists' and audiences' cultural background the focus of policy decisions, and judging and showcasing people according to their ethnicity rather than their creative work can seem patronising. Complaints of being pigeonholed echo broader political concerns about ghettoisation and ‘parallel lives’. Beyond policy and funding, others are fearful that the politics of multiculturalism puts artists under pressure to temper their work to avoid offending cultural groups. In 2004 the play Behzti was closed at Birmingham Rep, following protests by Sikhs about its offensive content.
What are the consequences of replacing aesthetic judgement with recognition of diverse cultures? Does the idea of diversity act as a barrier to seeing other cultures as potentially meaningful to everyone? If cultural difference and identity are put centre stage, what happens to universalism and equality?
Speakers:
- Gina Antchandie
- Diversity In Publishing Coordinator, Arts Council England.
- Naseem Khan
- commentator, policy developer and initiator, and author of the ground breaking The Art Britain Ignores
- Munira Mirza
- researcher in cultural policy, broadcaster and editor of a new book Culture Vultures: Is UK arts policy damaging the arts
- Merryl Wyn Davies
- writer and anthropologist; books include The No-Nonsense Guide to Islam (with Ziauddin Sardar)
Chaired by
- Claire Fox
- director, Institute of Ideas; panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze