Actualise Utopia
The Seventh – strategies for increased cultural diversity
To do so, we must debunk the belief that we are now living in post-colonial times. On the contrary, we find ourselves in the middle of a neo-colonial era. The very same mechanism which was active in the old colonial times is still in place and affecting non-white citizens in our part of the world. Today, we have internal colonies consisting of minorities, and a ‘colonial order’ enforced by the majority. This process of difference and injustice is echoed in our arts field. I, therefore, suggest a seven-point strategy for improving our efforts to achieve cultural diversity in the arts field: Strategic Action The focus on cultural diversity in the Nordics in recent decades has yielded both favourable and not so favourable results. Our focus on diversity is often a sporadic act within the arts field, often taking the form of one-off events or projects. After these events, we pat ourselves on the back, happy to return to ‘business as usual’ without much change. In 1998 Arts Council Norway launched The Mosaikk project, intended to specify and define the framework, language and terminology, stimulate and strengthen already established diverse projects, front new initiatives and create a climate which black and minority ethnic artist would feel was inclusive and credible. Various research boards had established that focusing on artists with immigrant and/or foreign background would be necessary for the arts field and the goal was to gather knowledge and foster competence to better understand and manage the new challenges which diversity represented for us. Through all of these years, there have been multiple studies, action plans, proposals and support for both efficient and inefficient projects. It can, however, be argued that many of the initiatives should have continued and been further developed, altered or renewed. Alas, that has not been the case.
No doubt many are still looking for the results which could have led us to some fundamental conclusions and changes? Probably due to how new the field of diversity is, we have more questions than answers. Long-term strategic planning and actions therefore become paramount. Strategies should reveal priorities and positioning of initiatives in relation to social challenges, surrounding and how these will be maintained to create an entirety. Here, it is essential to remember that the individual artist’s right to remain autonomous and unique is in no way a contradiction to diversity. In today's society, diversity can neither be ignored nor exaggerated.
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Power Relations – Who has a seat at the table where the decisions are made? Differential treatment in the social sphere shines through when we take a closer look at how power is distributed. We need to see "who has a seat at the table where the decisions are made,'' because it is in doing so that the inequality becomes visible. It is paramount that those who are marginalized when it comes to cultural power should not only be present when decisions are being made, but that they also have actual influence in the decision-making process. Platitudes and symbolic actions are not enough. To point out that the very composition of the structures themselves facilitates and leads to what is called structural discrimination is still considered a taboo. When decision-makers lack competence and training in diversity, the outcome becomes tokenism, injustice and righteous disappointment on the part of the actual stakeholders. Boards, committees, and reference groups, which administer or assess applications in relation to diverse genres, artist or segments without the necessary insight or training, should be deemed unfit. 140