THE ARTS
The responsibility of the arts is to reflect society back to itself in its full diverse truth, but the white male gaze has been the dominant lens through which our stories have been told.
For change to happen we need to see true representation.
These artists and organisations disrupt this standard by resetting or critiquing that creative narrative, telling stories from a diverse spectrum of race and neurology.
If there is work, content or an organisation you think we should feature, please use our content submission page.
FINE Art
The Exhibitionist
In a country that’s repeatedly failed to come to terms with its colonial past, led by politicians who seem to think the past is the future, we seek to resist triumphalist nostalgia with art history. How did the narratives of Empire come into being? Who controls them? And how can we learn to see through the whitewash to the truth?
These tours focus on how major institutions came into being against a backdrop of imperialism. On each tour, we unravel the role colonialism played in shaping and funding a major national collection, looking at the broader material history of celebrated works: where the money comes from, the ways they’ve been displayed, and the ideological aesthetics at work. The history of British art is also the history of empire and genocide, written by collectors who traded in landscapes and lives.
Jen Reid & Marc Quinn
Artist Marc Quinn and Bristol resident Jen Reid unveil a new temporary, public installation, A Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020, on top of Edward Colston’s empty plinth in Bristol, England. This life-sized sculpture is based on an image the artist saw on Instagram of local resident Jen Reid standing on the vacant plinth with her fist raised in a Black Power salute, a spontaneous moment following a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020. During the protest, a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston was toppled from this spot. Cast in black resin, this new sculpture A Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020 takes its place. No formal consent has been sought for the installation.
Jacob V. Joyce
Jacob is a multidisciplinary artist amplifying historical and nourishing new queer/anti-colonial narratives. London UK
The Overlooked, Radical History of Black Women in Art
“The critical debate that it provoked was an expression of the complex and often tumultuous relationship between mainstream feminism and the black women who were so often excluded from it—a tension that continues today. “
DANCE AND THEATRE
Blink Dance Theatre
Blink Dance Theatre are a ‘original, inspiring and fresh’ neurodiverse group of five artists who perform and facilitate together.
Diverse City
Diverse City is an award-winning organisation committed to equality and diversity in the arts.
They are an engine of artistic and social change, using productions, training and consultancy.
Kuumba Nia Arts:
“Sold”
When one woman tells of her extraordinary journey to overcome the brutality of slavery, she becomes a beacon for the British anti-slavery movement. Born into slavery in the British colony of Bermuda, Mary Prince went on to become an auto-biographer and champion of freedom. Her book had an electrifying effect on the abolitionist movement helping to free many Africans in bondage. Through theatre, song, music, drumming and dance, this masterpiece of Black British theatre is inspired by the storytelling traditions of the West African griot.
MISS P FOUNDATION
The Miss P foundation was established in Oxford in 2009 and we promote the Arts to children who are denied access because of social or economic barriers.
They work with a number of community groups, individuals and organisations to produce artistic platforms that will inspire and promote personal, social and educational development amongst young people.
Their goal is to offer financial assistance towards both full time and part time art education. They also accept applications for part time art project and/or experiences.
Selina Thompson Ltd
Selina Thompson LTD is an interdisciplinary performance company based in Birmingham.
We make passionate, rigorous, political work, full of joy, but with a clear focus on those excluded by society at large, and how the politics of identity define our bodies, lives and environments.
The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company
Founded in 2009 by BAFTA and MOBO award-winning UK hip hop artist Akala, The Hip-hop Shakespeare Company (‘THSC’) is a music theatre production company aimed at exploring the social, cultural and linguistic parallels between the works of William Shakespeare and that of modern day hip-hop artists
Unlock The Chains Collective
Unlock the Chains was founded by Euton Daley in 1986 to explore performance poetry as a theatrical form and to develop a dialogue with various social struggles at the time (anti-apartheid movement, the miners’ strike, poll tax, etc). They performed at rallies, theatres, community events as well as music based clubs.
FILM & TV
Black Representation on British Television
This scheme of work focuses on black representation on British TV from popular series like Desmond’s to lesser-known TV plays such as the provocative, Fable (1965). These lessons are designed for use with Media Studies students at Key Stage 5 and have the new 2016 specifications in mind.
Migrant Media
Migrant Media was established in 1989 and is a collective of radical film makers working in documentary production. They are media producers and activists embedded with communities of social and political interest. Their. work has a focus on race and class with a central narrative of resistance.
MUSIC
What Will It Take For The Music Industry To Become Truly Anti-Racist?
As a business, the overwhelmingly white, male-run record industry has made billions from black music. Yet we rarely, if ever, see black presidents, label heads or CEOs. For years, black people have asked for better representation and diversity across the board — now is the time for labels to take action.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Authority Collective
The Authority Collective is a group of more than 200 women, non-binary and gender expansive people of color working in the photography, film and VR/AR industries.
Their mission is to empower marginalized artistswith resources and community, and to take action against systemic and individual abuses in the world of lens-based editorial, documentary and commercial visual work.
Black Women Photographers
Black Women Photographers is an online database that brings together an exciting body of black female photographers that anyone can use to diversify the pool of talent they hire from.
Color Positive
Color Positive was created out of the idea that we not only need to showcase Black talent on its own, but help facilitate growth of new artists for the community at large. Black people and Black artists alike have always had a specific relationship with the art and commerce industry.
This site will allow you to keep up with the incredible range of Black artists, professional and working, that create at the highest levels. The roster is exceptional and the artists collaborate but also get paid to do what they do. The roster also provides an incredible source for mentorship and guidance to the youth. Please read our Mentorship section for more info.
The Center for Photographers of Color
The Center for Photographers of Color seeks to promote the advancement of emerging and under-represented artists of color working within photography, digital imaging, and other lens-based media. Their goal is to collaborate with artists from diverse backgrounds whose work challenges the monolithic historical narratives within culture and art. Through this collaborative approach, the center aims to create a sustainable creative community through the commissioning, support, oral history, and archiving of original works as a public education resource to address identity and representation.
Diversify Photo
Diversify was born out of a recognition that calling for more diversity in the photo industry is not enough. To diversify photo, we need to equip Art Buyers, Creative Directors, and Photo Directors with resources to discover photographers of color available for assignments and commissions.
The EveryDay Projects
Everyday Africa began in 2012 in Ivory Coast as an effort to rise above the media-driven stereotypes that plague the continent. Following its viral success, an international movement began as like-minded storytellers worldwide created their own @Everyday feeds on Instagram that use photography to combat cliché, promote local norms, and celebrate global commonalities.
Soon, what began as a tool to be used on the community, country, region, and continent level was adapted for issue-specific use as well. From Latin America to Asia, Australia to the Middle East, Mumbai to the Bronx — and on topics spanning climate change, mass incarceration, and more — their collective audience is well over 1 million.
Women Photograph
Women Photograph is a private database that includes more than 1,000 independent women documentary photographers based in 100+ countries and is available privately to any commissioning editor or organization.
Women Photograph also operates an annual series of project grants for emerging and established photojournalists, a year-long mentorship program, and a travel fund to help female photographers access workshops, festivals, and other developmental opportunities.
Their mission is to shift the gender makeup of the photojournalism community and ensure that their industry's chief storytellers are as diverse as the communities they hope to represent.