Make BME access possible

Published Tuesday 14 August 2007 at 12:20

I can find no evidence for the recent claim made by the new Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport that “access is now in the bloodstream of British culture”. This statement has raised deep concerns in many quarters, and rightfully so. I am pleased that The Stage has been keeping this issue in the sphere of public debate, starting with Alistair Smith’s article highlighting the opinions of the BME theatre sector (News, page 1, July 26).

Without a doubt, from the perspective of artists practicing dance of the African Diaspora (or any other ‘diverse’ art form), some of Mr Purnell’s statements are worrying and discouraging. It is clear that Mr Purnell has failed to consult with some key stakeholders. I am concerned that he and his unnamed advisors have drawn their conclusions prematurely.

In 1994, the British dance sector endured the loss of the Adzido Pan African Dance Ensemble, which was the only large-scale professional company of its nature. It is impossible to quantify the impact of such a loss on the sector. For 13 years, the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD) has worked to move dance of the African Diaspora from the margins to the mainstream of the British dance sector. However, as an organisation we have struggled for our very survival and are still working to establish sustainable infrastructure. Is that what it looks like for access to be in the bloodstream of British culture?

In a recent conversation with Funmi Adewole, former ADAD chair, she highlighted that there is still very little money allocated to “the needed activity of finding ways of starting courses which will enable dance practices that draw on African or Caribbean forms into the system”. This remains the case, despite the fact that “there is a high demand from students, professionals and the general public for information, training, performances and resources”. How will this demand be met without increased and sustained investment? When will BME arts stop emerging and have the freedom to grow and flourish?

Mr Purnell proposed a model “with participation the foundation, education the way up and excellence the apex”. However, the problem is that there are still many who have no ‘way up’ at all. If education is truly to become the way up, there will need to be a clear commitment to diversity within arts education. With dance of the African Diaspora barely present on the educational curriculum at any level, the way up for the artists that ADAD seeks to nurture is yet to be charted.

There needs to be specific investment in training and education for dance of the African Diaspora. There have been several attempts to design such a programme and Irie! Dance Theatre successfully created a programme in conjunction with Birkbeck College. However, due to lack of support, the programme is now dormant. There continues to be very little support, financial or otherwise, for an initiative of this nature. In light of this, the minister’s conclusions are clearly unfounded.

The DCMS must begin to set goals that distinguish between the unique developmental needs of the varied communities within the creative sector. If participation is truly to become the foundation of Mr Purnell’s model, there needs to be a financial commitment to providing sustained support for arts that reflect the true richness of British experience.

Diverse communities with diverse needs have spent the past ten years making contributions to the British cultural landscape with minimal support. Mr. Purnell’s stated aim of “setting culture free to do what it does best” will only be possible with closer consultation with a much wider range of advisors. I only hope that the report to be delivered by Sir Brian McMaster will cover the ground Mr Purnell has missed.

Jeanette Bain

Director

Association of Dance of the African Diaspora

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