Are you making the right connections?

Case study: How the Museum of London diversified its workforce and co-created content

A case study from the Museum of London with discussion points including:

1. Small changes to recruitment processes can create major changes to workforce diversity
2. Recruiting is only half the challenge, retaining these new staff in a meaningful and supported way is key
3. Content, collections and research becoming more representative – but can have different stakeholder influences
4. Content co-created with people
5. Representing underserved communities

Partner Power

This 'Technique for Building More Authentic Community Partnerships Right from the Start' offers a model of consultation and collaboration used by the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History in the US to build an exhibition in collaboration with the community. Includes a video on conducting a meeting and worksheet with sample questions, using active listening and open-ended questions.

“It felt more equal...rather than appearing as though we were just trying to tick a box on community engagement.”

DARTS Community Arts and Cultural Development presentation

A presentation for Arts Tasmania by Diversity Arts Australia which gives the basics on community arts and cultural development, the backstory and nuances of the terminology, principles of community and cultural development practice and the critical elements of the practice: practice, empowerment, responsiveness and relevance to community.

It includes guiding questions to help you ensure cultural safety, respecting agency - giving resources for building a more critical practice.

Engaged Communities

Infographic with top tips on engaging respectfully with communities, including outlining different types of community engagement (such as the difference between collaborations, co-creations and consultations) and tips on managing power, responsibility and the project's legacy.

Celebrating BIPOC Nonprofit Leaders: The Black Community Building Collaborative

As the nonprofit sector and unmet needs continue to grow, there’s a conscious effort by Black-led organizations to ensure that their services and communities are prioritized. By working to build enduring partnerships rather than transactional relationships with funders, the Black Community Building Collective prioritizes investments in the long-term sustainability of Black-led organizations throughout the community.

How To Co-Create: Practical Lessons From The Field

Co-creation can be misused, and the various risks that come with co-creation are explored in this guide. Alongside this are tips for using ethical methods that can help to reap the benefits of shared power and authorship. This guide warns against generic solutions, stating that local, societal factors must always be taken into account.

Why Malaysians Need a New Term to Define Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation

Analysis of cultural appropriation in Malaysia, even after centuries of intercultural exchange in Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous communities.

Five creative project scenarios are presented that raise questions of appropriation, and potential alternative ways of moving forward more ethically.

'Cultural power acknowledges that imbalances exist. It’s not just about sharing, but recognising that dominant cultures dictate what’s acceptable while minority cultures face erasure or stereotypes.'