Transforming how Wales’s visual arts and heritage sector represents cultural and ethnic diversity
Perspective(s) was a collaboration between the Arts Council of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru aimed at transforming how the visual arts and heritage sector represents the cultural and ethnic diversity of society in Wales. The programme supported the Welsh Government’s Anti-racist Wales Action Plan by developing more inclusive historical narratives and celebrating cultural diversity.
Creative professionals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds collaborated with Amgueddfa Cymru’s seven museums and visual arts organisations. Acting as critical friends, they explored, questioned and challenged existing practices within those organisations. They also engaged with diverse communities to discover untold perspectives and stories, helping to inform their work and bring about progressive change at an organisational and sector level.
With partnership and co-production at its core, the initiative led to a series of public events and eight wider public programmes, 18 co-produced exhibitions, creative interventions and displays reaching approximately 350,000 people across Wales.
Communities were able to access previously marginalised collections, and creative professionals developed new skills, confidence and opportunities.
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Additionally, organisational staff developed greater confidence, knowledge and capability to work in more inclusive, equitable and anti-racist ways.
Insights from Perspective(s) are being used to develop a more inclusive, equitable and representative visual arts and heritage sector. The programme has strengthened relationships with diverse communities, created new opportunities for culturally and ethnically diverse artists, and embedded anti-racist principles within our programming, interpretation and decision-making.
More equitable approaches to commissioning, participation and engagement are shaping future practice, while new knowledge created by communities and creative professionals is being embedded into collections management.
“I have gained experience and confidence in working with museum archives.”
“[The project] enabled me to experiment with form and audience interaction in ways I had not previously explored.”