Socio-Economic Variety and Inclusion in the Arts: A Toolkit for Employers

Off-white access to working in the arts remains one of the most urgent issues facing the sector today, with those from lower socio-economical backgrounds still vastly underrepresented amid the artists and employees of Great britain theatres, festivals, galleries and arts organisations of all kinds.

Jerwood Arts and the Bridge Group have joined forces for this Toolkit with a mission to await to the hereafter: to support long-term change across the arts sector by sharing knowledge, providing good back up, and encouraging have-up of an intersectional approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Nosotros are delighted to get together here some of the applied ideas from the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme, alongside case studies from our Weston Jerwood Artistic Bursaries Host organisations. We have partnered with the Span Group to bring in research and advice from other sectors and to encourage organisations to take a strategic approach.

Download your gratuitous copy of Socio-Economic Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts: A Toolkit for Employers.

You lot can access a Welsh language translation here: Cliciwch yma i lawrlwytho PDF Cymraeg.

Y'all can also interact with the first sections of the certificate online hither. Click through the sections below to find the Acme Five Tips for what to prioritise, and where organisations can have the greatest impact on advancing socio-economic diversity and inclusion across the sector. There are also a choice of Instance Studies, you will detect the full set in the PDF download.

Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries Evaluation Study 2017-xix

Virtually

Improving equality, variety and inclusion across the arts is key to releasing the truthful potential of our nation'southward creative and cultural talent, and it starts with entry level roles like those created by our programme. Only a more representative sector at all levels will ensure that in futurity, the fine art that gets made is not just outstanding in grade and content, simply relevant to the widest possible audiences.

Our rigorous evaluation procedure has helped us to place good exercise and capture vital lessons which we tin now share. Nosotros do this in the hope that the ideas within will aid anyone with the power to appoint and promote to support more outstanding people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and, eventually, brand the arts more first-class for all.

Since the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries program was fix in 2010, this 'grade crunch' has deepened, with recent research emphasising that chronic issues of socio-economic under-representation persist.
This makes its work more than of import than ever; and the successes along the mode fifty-fifty more valuable and worth sharing. We want to make sure that the people who create artistic work and run cultural organisations are representative of the manner that England looks and feels today – and the same is truthful for audiences too. Our investment in this new toolkit is a step in helping this to happen – simply in that location is still much to do.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England

Of all sectors, the arts must be where diversity and inclusion should be taken well-nigh seriously. Works that explore, challenge and reflect contemporary society are naturally richer if they are informed by a wider range of social perspectives and experiences. Nosotros promise this guide supports organisations and individuals to make important steps in this management.
Nik Miller, Chief Executive, the Bridge Group

Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries

The Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries is a nationwide plan supporting arts organisations to expand their arroyo to diverse recruitment and talent evolution, and build their capacity for outstanding creative production. 40 new, paid, entry-level roles in the arts have been created for recent graduates at 39 leading arts organisations nationally. Watch our picture show that tells our story so far

How to use this Toolkit

This Toolkit is informed by learning and instance studies from virtually a decade of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme working with 110 arts organisations and significant research produced by the Span Grouping, an independent charity that has been working with organisations across sectors on this agenda since 2010. Regardless of whether your organisation is already taking action or has still to consider socio-economic background, we recommend a strategic approach rather than focusing on individual, unconnected initiatives.

  • expect at the issues holistically, agreement that change is required beyond
    a range of related areas of your work;
  • monitor, collate and utilise robust evidence to inform and evaluate the change
    y'all want to brand; and
  • use advocacy and your ability to bring people together to support wider
    systemic change.

This is a practical tool, including pinnacle tips, instance studies and all-encompassing practical appendixes of what to measure out, where to advertise and further reading. Nosotros claiming all organisations to set their ambitions high and to act with rigor, thoughtfulness and pragmatism. The rewards could exist pregnant: increased overall social equality; an artistic community more representative of society; and artistic endeavors that are more engaging, various and outstanding as a event.

This guide includes a range of example studies (included as quotes with full case studies in Appendix F) to inspire and inform practice. We capeesh that at that place are many more excellent examples out there of effective efforts, and hope these requite a flavor of the changes happening across the sector.

It will be relevant to all arts and cultural organisations and individuals interested in taking action to advance socio-economic multifariousness and social equality, and attain excellence in our sector.

Why focus on socio-economical diversity and inclusion?

Enquiry from the Bridge Group highlights that the professions are deeply unrepresentative of wider social club with respect to socio-economic groundwork. Individuals from lower socio-economical backgrounds typically progress more slowly in one case they are in, and there is also a class pay gap: those from lower socio-economic backgrounds earn on average £vi,800 less than their colleagues from more affluent backgrounds doing the same job.

These challenges tin oft be more acute in the arts, since there are less divers career routes, oft with express job security.

The Labour Force Survey data published in the Panic! Report 2018 shows that individuals from higher socio economic backgrounds are currently over-represented in most artistic occupations, particularly in leadership roles. Additionally, there is strong show that those from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more probable suffer every bit a effect of not having the right networks, the correct set up of cultural references, and the knowledge of the right mode to present themselves to get alee.

Socio-economic background remains a huge but largely invisible issue that Arts Quango England thankfully, beginning to acknowledge. Information technology's considering of piece of work that Jerwood do to create opportunities recent undergrads from underprivileged backgrounds that things are beginning to modify.
Callum Berridge, Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries Young man 2017-19

Although the 'working form' are 35% of the working population, they make upwardly only 13% of publishing, 18% of music, performing and visual arts, 12% of film, Tv set, video, radio and photography, and 21% of museums, galleries and libraries.

Pregnant momentum has been edifice in contempo years effectually the need for socioeconomic background to be recognised every bit a 'protected feature' aslope other identity markers such every bit gender, sexuality, disability and ethnicity under the Equality Act 2010. Without this protected status, social-economical background will remain an under-researched, under-funded, 'hidden barrier' in the arts.

This Toolkit builds on existing guidance for organisations to recruit a more various workforce, most notably, Arts Council England's Culture Change Toolkit (2017).

Nosotros focus specifically on socio-economical groundwork to address a electric current gap in enquiry and practice; and nosotros also make pregnant reference to the important ways in which socio-economic groundwork tin can intersect with protected characteristics including gender, ethnicity and disability.

The example for change is ofttimes made in terms of fairness: an arts sector that recruits and promotes according to a narrow social background is unjust in principle. Just beyond this case for justice, there is too evidence that tackling barriers relating to socio-economic diversity and inclusion is a matter of artistic and societal benefit – as highlighted past Arts Council England'southward Creative Case for Diversity.

Top 5 Tips/ I: Measure socio-economical background and publish what you observe

Step one is to understand the most robust way to measure out the socio-economical background of your staff, freelancers and artists.

Questions of class are never far from headlines in the arts, just there is limited contained guidance on how to monitor socio-economic background and devise staff surveys. The Span Grouping, however, have undertaken extensive research, in partnership with the Cabinet Office, on how to exercise this and maintain high ethical standards.

Based on this inquiry, we propose that organisations should include the following questions in their equal opportunities monitoring forms for applicants and their existing workforce (employed and freelance, artists and administrators):

  1. Type of schoolhouse attended at historic period 11-16
  2. Complimentary School Meal (FSM) eligibility
  3. Parental experience of higher education
  4. Parental occupation when you were aged 14

Total guidance is available on how to monitor socio-economical diversity in Appendix A.

Research from the Span Grouping and the Cabinet Office indicates that if merely one question is asked, number four, relating to parental occupation, is the key indicator and the one to choose.

This tabular array indicates what the answer to this question might indicate in terms of socio-economical groundwork.

The principal reasons for this are because it is a stiff predictor of adult outcomes, information technology is internationally applicative, and response rates at employers across sectors have been relatively positive.

It is too the indicator used in many national surveys, including the Labour
Force Survey.

Whether you include all four questions, and in how much detail, will depend on your system's size and the context for your work, what y'all decide you want the data for, and what level of assay you will be able to do with it. If possible, do some piloting to get a sense of what works for your capacity, and your programmes.

For case, Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility is a very powerful measure out if you lot work predominately with people who accept been through the English language school system since 1980, and you can get full general information on FSM in the population to benchmark against. Your monitoring data volition give you lot a baseline to measure against, and the prove you need to aid yous decide where to focus your energy and resource. Measuring and monitoring will enable yous to appraise your touch on, and in time, see how you are doing compared with others in our sector, and in other sectors.

The monitoring of socio-economical variety is becoming increasingly common practice, and Arts Council England is expected to publish guidance on what measures to use soon. Those already monitoring this surface area of diversity include the BBC, Channel four, the Civil Service, virtually large professional services firms, and the BFI (including through their funding criteria 'Variety Standards'), alongside some arts organisations including The Young Vic and Battersea Arts Centre.

Some larger arts organisations accept set themselves public targets to help bulldoze diversity and inclusion, regarding both their staff composition and creative production. These targets are fine art class and context-specific, and are usually bench-marked based on proportionality of working age population. Information technology is important to understand that targets are not the same as quotas – quotas tin can unintentionally induce people to 'positively' discriminate, which is unlawful.

We recommend making a clear distinction between monitoring data for diverseness characteristics, and how you utilize that data to inform decisions about hiring and progression. Monitoring data is essential for building an evidence base of operations and assessing progress; but anyone disclosing their diversity characteristics should be reassured that the data they share will not impact on any decisions made about their individual appointment or progression.

If you are publicly funded, you lot will already be reporting your HR data to Arts Council England, Arts Council of Wales, Arts Quango of Northern Ireland and other funders. Include your socio-economic background data and abet that it is taken equally seriously every bit protected characteristics in support of a more diverse and inclusive arts sector.

Transparency is vital. Information technology volition assistance you to empathize how you compare with others and it will help to benchmark alter across the sector. So, once you have data monitoring in place, publish your findings, aslope the practical actions that you are taking to accelerate socio-economic multifariousness and inclusion.

Top 5 Tips/ 2: Create spaces for conversations most taste, talent and merit

Language matters, especially since many terms in common use around issues of
diversity tin can be loaded with value judgments.

Bridge Group research on definitions of talent chimes with our ain experience of working on the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme with Hosts and Fellows. There is ambivalence about how we define and place concepts like 'talent' and 'merit' – not to mention how nosotros talk nigh 'diversity' – and this lies at the middle of many of the challenges relating to improving socio-economic diversity and inclusion.

For example, when we talk nearly needing to be 'passionate' to work in the arts, how practise we evidence that 'passion'? Is it synonymous with having enjoyed Shakespeare plays since an early age, or having spent the long summer holidays taking a prestigious, just unpaid, internship overseas? Or, is it the ability to contribute new ideas to creative processes, or engage fully in how art can reflect and affect people and society?

Ask yourself how creative talent, taste and merit are defined, discussed and rewarded in your system. How practise these link to recruitment, creative programming and individual functioning?

You lot may also desire to trigger conversations about these bug in relation to power and inclusion across the organisation. Are there whatsoever ability structures at play that mean some people might be present merely have a limited phonation and role in decision making? Talk almost the power of language, and the words you use about the piece of work you are making, and the art and civilization that you lot are 'valuing'.

These are difficult conversations to have but they tin can exist transformational, especially if the whole organization is able to contribute. Conversations tin can be facilitated at public events, such as conferences; internally at Board meetings, staff meetings, Away Days; or online in blogs or webinars. They should be approached sensitively, taking into account the needs of all staff, and be focused on practical responses.

Full guidance on the recommended terms and phrases to support conversations near socio-economical diversity is available in appendix B.

We are always tweaking our language and making incremental changes. Nosotros would advise others to start somewhere that feels possible and build (and learn!) from at that place. There are resources available that weren't available five years ago. Start using these early on in your journey so you lot can capture your baseline and rails progress, but most of all, go on
the give-and-take open, welcoming and ongoing.
Charlotte Turton, Head of People & Development, Battersea Arts Heart

I came across the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries when I was working at Liverpool Biennial and connecting back to the North subsequently many years abroad. I had come home: I could eat tea too every bit drinking information technology. It was a wake-up call and I realised that I had but spent the last thirty years employing varying degrees of faking it to exist part of the art world that I loved.
In a recent discussion at a-north one of my team remarked that schemes to support people from lower socio-economic groups were often focused (in his words) on the 'gentrification of people' and 'social mobility' rather than creating modify in the institution or indeed a habitation for deviation. Beingness cocky-aware as an organization is the first pace nosotros need to take to ensure this doesn't happen.
Julie Lomax, CEO, a-due north, The Artists Information Company

Tiptop Five Tips/ 3: Create a more inclusive organisational culture

Having conversations well-nigh 'gustation', 'talent' and 'merit' should assistance you understand the lived experiences of those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. It should back up the majority group in realising how they tin be role of creating a more inclusive civilization in your arrangement. Ofttimes in life, and specially at work, people naturally want to practise what feels virtually comfortable and familiar; this inclination has a clear bear upon on advancing diversity and inclusion. Engaging with the unfamiliar and choosing to do what will lead to the nigh impactful and innovative upshot, rather than what feels most comfy, volition be fundamental to making long term, positive change.

We as well embarked on board recruitment for Youth Trustees. This has had a positive affect
on diversifying our governance: nosotros now take 5 new board members and two new youth trustees, the majority of whom are local to Peckham and represent a more than various demographic
and experience than previously.
Emily Druiff, Artistic Director, Peckham Platform (London)

When those from lower socio-economic backgrounds opt out of detail careers or professional and artistic routes, it is rarely about lack of ambition or awareness and more to do with contesting feelings of not belonging – negotiating low-level but constant micro-aggressions in the workplace – and access to opportunities. Most practical initiatives focus on helping under-represented groups assimilate into unfamiliar cultures, rather than tackling the cultures themselves. The enquiry strongly suggests nosotros need to switch our priorities to changing organisational culture to affect real, long-lasting modify.

Informal sponsorship, whereby senior people informally support and advocate for the next generation, can oftentimes mean that those from bulk groups get alee because senior people are naturally inclined to offer support to people almost like them. Focus on ending this kind of unofficial patronage: it is an example of 'affinity bias' that plays a huge role in the arts where individuals' tastes tin can lead to the exclusion of those with from unlike backgrounds who may have dissimilar perspectives. Raise awareness and create a curious, caring culture where breezy connections between those in positions of power to recruit, programme and select staff and artists can be questioned to ensure decisions are based on potential and not background.

Provide support for individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds but in a way that does not stigmatise or jeopardise inclusivity. For instance, where support is welcomed, consider offering mentoring and networking with colleagues who share similar backgrounds.

And, to avoid targeting specific individuals who may non want to be singled out, we recommend placing an emphasis on all staff being encouraged to mix and share ideas with each other, respect different viewpoints and develop understanding about how an private's groundwork may influence their views.

Induction processes for new starters demand to accept into account that candidates from different backgrounds tin can have very different levels of familiarity with artistic working cultures, or working/office civilization in full general. The best approach is to avert making assumptions and consult with those from lower socio-economical backgrounds straight to ask what, if whatever, support they would like. In what ways are they going to accept to navigate things similar 'out of hours' work, intendance for dependents, accent, dialect, clothes codes, political discourses, after work social activities, locations and budgets, to proper name only a few examples. Think about and heighten awareness of the ways in which nosotros might exclude, alienate or silence people unwittingly through majority group civilization.

Bakani Pick-Upwards was appointed from a stiff field and he became the only non-white member of the team (though non whatsoever more). This visible and invisible diversification of the staff team does have an impact on how we and others think nearly the organisation.
Rachel Emmett, Executive Director, Dance4 (Nottingham)

Accept intersectionality seriously. To change the make-upward of the arts so they better reflect society as a whole, we must understand socio-economic background in the context of its intersections with other characteristics, such as gender or race. Expect at people'south piece of work lives equally being shaped by many axes of inequality that often work together and influence one another or create distinct types of disadvantage. For instance, indigenous minority women from low socioeconomic backgrounds could be seen to experience a 'triple disadvantage'
because of their gender, their ethnicity, and their socio-economic background.

Factors of disadvantage tin exist multiplicative rather than just additive. We recommend, therefore, that you requite careful consideration to the some of the possible hidden demands of individuals' personal lives and ensure HR policies are flexible and adaptive. Additionally, do not look individuals to employ their individual money for work-related expenses as it may cause unnecessary stress for those experiencing financial hardship.

Meridian Five Tips/ 4: Terminate unpaid or unadvertised internships, jobs and opportunities

Any form of unpaid or very depression paid work favours those who tin rely on other financial ways. And as those who undertake unpaid opportunities have a much higher chance of beingness hired and offered paid opportunities off the dorsum of it, you are narrowing entry routes from the outset for those who accept outside financial support.

An associated and similarly unhelpful practise is unadvertised internships, jobs and opportunities which are available only to those within your existing networks.

Nosotros ensured that the application form did not refer to unpaid work/volunteering/internships. No  that candidates could talk about transferable skills rather than specific feel within the arts.
We are having far more conversations about the diversity of artists nosotros are programming. Nosotros are canvassing the opinions of our audiences, having difficult conversations and actively trying to programme more diverse artists peculiarly in relation to ethnicity.
Wieke Eringa, Artistic Managing director, Yorkshire Trip the light fantastic toe (Leeds)

Creative & Cultural Skills and Arts Council England have produced arts sector specific guidance on what distinguishes a volunteer opportunity from a role that should, by law, exist paid; and all-time practise regarding the differences between internships, apprenticeships and volunteering.

Use this to inform how you lot design and offer all your early-career opportunities. Call back how everyone you permit in through the back door will disadvantage someone without those connections. Even small actions accept big consequences. As a general guide, we recommend all positions over 4 weeks in length are paid.

Being involved in the programme has been an important reminder of only how hard it is for people to find entry points in the arts especially if they are unable to fund themselves to exercise unpaid internships. This plain results in a narrowing of the pool of people that end of upwardly working in the arts and is not good for anyone involved.
Hamish Dunbar, Co-Founder, OTO Projects (London)

Summit Five Tips/ 5: Create more inclusive recruitment processes

You volition, no dubiousness, accept a statement on your job application template maxim yous encourage applications from all; nonetheless, not receive high quality applications from. Our work has shown that first impressions count and taking the time to thoroughly review your recruitment process end to end – from the cosmos of the job description and candidate specification to how you will conduct the interview and selection process – can have a significant effect upon the candidates and artists you attract. Investing developing an inclusive recruitment process that nurtures all is the unmarried most powerful alter you can make to the long-term equality and diverseness of the sector.

The Weston Jerwood Artistic Bursaries training solar day opened our eyes. Nosotros tore up our standard job ad template and started from scratch and as a consequence have since overhauled all our recruitment processes and documentation.
Bronwen Price, Deputy Director, Literature Wales (Cardiff)

We created a new awarding process specifically for our new function for WJCB, including a simple online application and a request for a iii-minute video. We didn't ask for a CV or a written statement and based our choice procedures on attitude, ideas and each candidate's responses to Duckie'southward piece of work.
Emmy Minton, Fundraising & Evolution, Duckie (London)

The Action Plan, below, details cardinal issues for you to consider: from hidden barriers to biases, to including a alphabetic character from your CEO or Artistic Director celebrating the value of a diverse workforce.

For some multifariousness characteristics, specific approaches have been adult that are proven to increment the chances of candidates with those characteristics being appointed. For instance, the Disability Confident scheme ways that all those applicants identifying equally disabled on the application form that meet the job specification are guaranteed an interview.

In many sectors, there has been a lot of discussion and development of 'blind' recruitment processes, including online platforms that aim to remove all identifying factors and leave only skills and capabilities for assessment. For example, a leading publisher now uses only three questions designed to reveal transferable skills for their junior entry level roles, having removed all names, educational achievements and other standard CV information from the process.

But research on the effectiveness of blind recruitment methods is mixed, and growing evidence suggests that the well-nigh effective way to alter who gets in and who gets on is the contrary approach: 1 where individual achievements are considered in context. This might include questions inviting candidates to reflect on their professional person and personal journey and any obstacles or barriers they take experienced. Channel 4, the Young Vic and Royal Court Theatre have all experimented with this approach.

One thing we did, which I got expert feedback on and nonetheless do, is to e'er write a welcome letter from me. In information technology I emphasise that we want to hear from candidates who may have different
backgrounds and believe they accept transferable skills relevant to the mail.

Daniel Alkali, ex-Manager of Cambridge Junction, at present Director of Norfolk & Norwich Festival

Case STUDY 1: Battersea Arts Centre, London Charlotte Turton, Caput of People & Evolution

My main piece of advice when you are thinking about changing your recruitment practices is to brand hard and fast rules, in line with the values of your organisation, and stick to them!

In 2014 BAC made a solid commitment to pay all employees London Living Wage salaries and to provide regular entry-level opportunities across our traineeships, apprentices and junior level roles. Nosotros don't offer unpaid opportunities (autonomously from 1 – 2 weeks' work experience for those at schoolhouse) and we see ourselves as a learning organisation, supporting our staff to develop and grow in and beyond the organisation, which in plough creates new opportunities for those simply starting out.

We are at present developing an in-house survey measuring the socio-economic background of our staff. We are using the Civil Service case study's listing of 5 questions which have been thoroughly researched and tested so finally there is a set of measures we can prefer and test out. Nosotros are besides following their guidance in providing the rationale behind these questions and not compressing the data. We are looking to collect this data on an almanac basis so nosotros tin can see how nosotros compare to the national averages.

We meet this very much as office of the journey nosotros have been on since we shifted our approach in 2014. We are always tweaking our language and making incremental changes. Nosotros would suggest others to offset somewhere that feels possible and build (and learn!) from in that location. There are resources available that weren't bachelor v years ago. Start using these early on in your journeying and then you can capture your baseline and runway progress, merely most of all, keep the word open, welcoming and ongoing.

When we were recruiting for our new Creative Director/CEO at the end of 2018, we wanted information technology to be actually open and encourage lots of people to utilize. Here's an example of a video we tweeted during the recruitment campaign, which nosotros aim to do more of in the future: "Merely ii and a half weeks left until applications shut to become our new Creative Director and C.E.O. – here'due south Fiona and Henri from our Immature Peoples' projects telling y'all to use!

Example Report FOUR: Duckie, London Emmy Minton, Fundraising & Development

We didn't ask for a CV or a written statement and based our selection procedures on attitude, ideas and each candidate's responses to Duckie's piece of work.

Option Process

Duckie is a small organisation so we can make decisions very quickly and are happy tochange the way we work if at that place is a good reason. Nosotros created a new application process specifically for our new role for WJCB, including a simple online awarding and a request for a iii-minute video. We didn't inquire for a CV or a written statement and based our selection procedures on attitude, ideas and each candidate's responses to Duckie's work. We invited five candidates for an interview in Duckie'south Producer, Simon Casson's living room, which we made every bit informal as possible. The successful candidate was called considering of her clear understanding of what the visitor was trying to achieve, her nuanced awareness of the unlike audition groups' needs and her obvious emotional intelligence. These qualities continue to be evident in her work to date, indicating that this process was highly fruitful in selecting a candidate that was a skillful fit for the company's vision and values.

Marketing Campaign

This process was led by Simon Casson and these are his Pinnacle Tips:

  1. I sent them by email to everyone I know on Duckie'south professional person contacts list.
  2. I bought advertising space (only spent about £70) on the Duckie Facebook.
  3. I put it on the Forepart Page of the Duckie website for two weeks.
  4. I sent personal emails to all of Duckie's QTIPOC (Queer, Trans, Intersex People of Color) network. This is all of the black and brownish artists, producers and arts workers, especially those with practiced networks and over-active social media profiles.
  5. I asked United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland Black Pride and Kayza Rose (Duckie's QTIPOC Producer) to tweet it.
  6. I asked Amy Lamé to tweet it.
  7. I asked younger artists and colleagues (under thirty) to promote it through their networks.
  8. I asked professional friends and colleagues at key arts organisations
    and universities to spread the discussion, including Queen Mary Academy, Goldsmith's, Key Schoolhouse, University of East London, Artsadmin, Live Art Evolution Bureau, Southbank Centre, Barbican, Rich Mix, Oval Firm, BAC, Manchester International Festival, Contact Theatre, Homotopia, Bar Wotever and Royal Vauxhall Tavern.
  9. Nosotros fabricated the collateral expect nice. Zed Gregory (Duckie's Graphic Designer) designed the task description and person specification sheets and the application form, and nosotros used the same branding on social media and our website.

CASE STUDY Six: LITERATURE WALES, Cardiff Bronwen Price, Head of Development & Deputy CEO, Literature Wales

The Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries grooming 24-hour interval opened our optics to how our electric current recruitment practice was less accessible to applicants from outside the traditional arts sector. We tore upwardly our standard task advertizing template and started from scratch and as a result have since overhauled all our recruitment processes and documentation.

Our task adverts now include a 'twenty-four hour period in the life' section, with jargon removed and an emphasis (peculiarly for entry level roles) on potential rather than experience. We ask candidates to focus on their aspirations and the modify they'd like to make, rather than how they exactly match the job requirements. Our interview techniques now include (as advisable) a smaller 'panel' with CVs provided in advance, a coffee shop choice of venue and providing the questions in advance to quell nerves. We piece of work with our second-choice candidate to support them, and link them to our wider networks.

We claiming our preconceptions about the all-time candidate for roles. We're increasingly focused on what skills and experience a candidate can bring to the arrangement which we don't already have.

These changes to our recruitment have inspired us to turn to increasing the representativeness of our clients – artists, participants and audiences. Our new Strategic Plan emphasises Representation & Equality every bit i of iii tactical priorities and identifies three target client characteristics which our activity will be designed and curated for.

We will as well apply the lessons learnt through WJCB to recruit new Lath members who might think being a trustee isn't for them. Focusing on breaking downward barriers to accessibility, nosotros're rethinking our Direction Board meeting times/days so nosotros aren't relying on Directors being in sufficiently senior posts to be released from jobs, or alternatively asking them to sacrifice salary.

The programme has led to reputational growth for Literature Wales in many ways and we are at present working with our core funder Arts Council Wales to share our learning on diversifying recruitment with all of Wales' national companies.

Della Hill, Evolution and Communications Officer

The advert stated that the organisation wasn't also fussed on employment experience, simply rather on the skills caused in other aspects of life. They just stated they were looking for a curious person with lots of drive, energy and dedication. I did have relevant experience, but I too felt that I had a lot more to offering than the skill-set on my CV. I am determined to break downward the barriers that be when from a low-income groundwork.

Normally, this would exist something that wouldn't be mentioned in the procedure, simply this arrangement was actually asking me to speak nearly information technology. I'one thousand a mixed-race private and I feel this has made a huge impact on my life experiences. I feel that I accept always been a little different to the crowd that surrounded me, and I have used the arts to express myself from a young age. With this in mind, I felt my groundwork would be of import for the role, and this had never been relevant earlier.

Downloads: Socio-Economical Variety and Inclusion in the Arts: A Toolkit for Employers; and Weston Jerwood Artistic Bursaries 2017-19 Evaluation

Jerwood Arts is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland artists, curators and producers to develop and thrive. The Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries is a national programme supporting arts organisations to aggrandize their approach to diverse recruitment and talent development, and build their capacity for outstanding creative product. The programme addresses the socio-economical barriers that outstanding graduates face and was open to those within two years of graduating who were in receipt of a full maintenance grant throughout university.

The Bridge Group is a non-profit consultancy that uses research to promote social equality. Nosotros do this by supporting organisations of all kinds with independent expertise, enquiry and practical know-how to enable them to make real and lasting impact on socio-economic diverseness and social equality. Our objective is to make real and meaningful modify, now. Our vision is a higher education system and labour market where outcomes are determined past competence and hard work, and not by socio-economic background. The Bridge Group is a charity. We are non-partisan and are not associated with whatsoever political party.

The Weston Jerwood Artistic Bursaries 2017-19 programme is designed and managed by Jerwood Arts in partnership with the British Quango. It has been made possible through the combined back up of Arts Council England's Ambition for Excellence Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Jerwood Arts, CHK Charities Express and PRS Foundation.