SoundingBoard – Changing pitch on cultural diversity

Although rarely stated explicitly, the reason for the promotion of diversity is that Britain has a problem with racism. There has been a general recognition in the arts over the past few decades that there has been, and still is, an under-representation of black and Asian people (as producers and consumers) and their product in the arts. Left to its own devices, the arts world is not representative of what's going on in Britain. So interventions are necessary to address the inequality. Fine. So how does it go about doing it?

By focusing on race and ethnic background and celebrating difference. The idea is that if everyone appreciated everyone else's contributions to cultural life then people wouldn't be racist or prejudiced and instead of fearing difference, people would welcome it, and our society would be all the richer for it. On the surface, that's all good. But there are unintended negative consequences that result from this focus.

The dark side

Ethnic background is part of a person's cultural identity but it doesn't constitute all of it. Aspects of our identity can assume a greater hierarchical importance in response to changes in power relations and circumstances: sometimes our gender may rise to the foreground, or class, religion, sexuality, lifestyle or domicile. Identity is dynamic, it is being shaped and created all the time. By focusing only on ethnic background without the other interrelated aspects that make us who we are, the complexity of identity is reduced too simplistically to a single fixed factor. An example of that way of thinking is when specific ethnic groups are only targeted for work that is culturally specific to that group. As if that's all they can be interested in. It's misleading to assume ethnic groups are homogenous – what about differences between individuals?

Drawing attention to the differences between ethnic groups is also divisive. It does not help to achieve community cohesion and promote race equality because it feeds existing anxieties about the "Other." For decades the politically Far Right has exploited difference. By mirroring this language, are we in danger of making their message more palatable? The term "representation" has been used to describe the position of artists who, because of funding policy, feel they have to ethnicise their product in order to get funding. I would extend this burden to the presentation of work in venues and the way it is talked about to audiences. It applies to arts professionals and organisations labelled "culturally diverse," which then find it difficult to be regarded in any other light.

Recently, Uzma Hameed of the Big Picture Company described the cultural diversity agenda as one 'that is able to support Asian artists as long as they are Asian in a way that it recognises.' At particular moments it can be useful to politically align yourself or your work with an ethnic group for solidarity and support (especially when you experience discrimination and exclusion) but there is always this trade-off.

No such thing as normal

British culture is produced by British people. That much seems simple. But who decides who is British? The 2001 Census results reveal that in most non-white ethnic groups, the majority of people described their national identity as either British, English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish. This included 87% of people from the Mixed group, 81% of Other Black group, 80% of Black Caribbean group, and 75% of the Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi group. That's a lot of so-called "ethnic-minority people" who regard being British as one of their identities.

The meaning of cultural diversity, as used by Arts Council England (ACE) in referring to the culture of ethnic minorities, is defined in relation to a cultural norm or standard, i.e. the culture of the British ethnic majority. This, then, identifies ethnic-minority cultures as deviations and variations. To address this, the boundary round British culture needs to be redrawn to include those strands loosely and euphemistically labelled as "culturally diverse" work or work by "culturally diverse" artists so that "cultural diversity" is consumed not as separate to British culture but as part of it. I hope this is what is meant by ACE when they talk about 'mainstreaming diversity.'

So what do we do about it?

We need to think differently if we want to achieve race equality. A good start would be to accept that there is no single British identity and that, like the nation, individuals have multiple identities too. This could then lead into the redrawing of the boundary around British culture as described above. If people fear difference and fragmentation, then focusing on difference and trying to make people celebrate difference won't work. If racism and xenophobia exist, then highlighting the difference and otherness of ethnic groups isn't helpful. Policy should be directed at allaying those fears through showing the connections between cultures and between people and how these cultural strands and interconnections shape and construct British cultural identities. In that way people gain insight and understanding into what British culture is and increase their appreciation of the richness that diversity brings to their lives.

Say what?

We have to talk differently. Language, as any post-structuralist would argue, is very important because it is through language that reality is shaped and created. It is the place where subjectivity is constructed. Meaning is produced within language rather than reflected by it. So, what do we need to change? Well, for starters, let's stop using the term "culturally diverse" euphemistically to mean Black and Asian or ethnic minority. If that is what is meant, then say it!

Secondly, stop confusing race with ethnicity with cultural identity. They are not synonymous.

Thirdly, provide multiple perspective interpretations of product on the basis of what the work is about. Talk about the work not as separate and different to British culture but as part of it. We live in a de-centred but not hopelessly fragmented world for there are common cultures and shared histories here. It's the stories of these interconnections that need to be brought into the foreground if we want to connect together as a nation, as a community of communities.

Nadine Andrews is Audience Development Manager for Arts About Manchester