Creative Equity Toolkit

Rob Guest Endowment cancels lucrative theatre prize over diversity controversy

Article on the cancelling of a $50,000 endowment for Australian musical theatre in 2020 amid criticism of the lack of racial diversity among the 30 semifinalists, including from the semifinalists themselves.

The semifinalists said "We fervently denounce the actions of the endowment, including but not limited to silencing POC and First Nations voices, misrepresenting us and our stance on the matter, and the lack of transparency that has occurred from within the endowment.”

Shifting the Balance

Survey of 200 of Australia’s leading arts and culture organisations measuring cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD) at the leadership level (39% of Australia's population is CALD).

'* Approximately half (51%) of the major cultural organisations had no CALD representation at the leadership level.
* Only 9% of the 1,980 leaders of our major cultural institutions are CALD Australians
* Non-CALD Australians are nine times more likely to occupy cultural leadership roles than CALD Australians'

Simpsons actor Hank Azaria says he will no longer voice Apu

The white actor who voices the Simpsons' Indian convenience store owner is stepping down from the role, after comedian Hari Kondabolu highlighted cultural stereotypes in his documentary The Problem with Apu.