Study examples of positive and negative collaborations

We and AI Response to the Race and Ethnic Disparities Report 2021

A negative example of working practices within a consultation process by government body. We and AI address the specific ways in which they believe their contribution to a report on race was misused by the UK government.

‘Black Pain Is Not for Profit’: An Activist Collective Protests Luke Willis Thompson’s Turner Prize

An article discussing Luke Willis Thompson's Turner Prize nomination which triggered a protest with the slogan 'Black Pain is not for Profit'. Artist Rene Matic stated “Thompson’s work does not feel like a sensitive awareness-raising project, but a process of extraction, sensationalism and commodification”. Thompson, an artist of Polynesian and European heritage "sees his works as acts of solidarity with his subjects".

B.O.S.S. Calls Turner Prize Nomination ‘Extractive and Exploitative’

A statement from the Black Obsidian Sound System that calls out institutions, prize-culture and demands the rights to thrive in conditions that a nurturing and supportive - forging a better path ahead in the future for collaborations between institutions and collectives that practice social art.

Whitewashed: why does Australian TV have such a problem with race?

Discussion of representation in Australian TV, from the awful stereotypes of the 90s, like Neighbours' first non-white family, the Lims, being accused of eating a dog, to shows that got it right, such as Gary Foley on A Country Practice.

'Crucially, Foley says, he was allowed to write his character himself. “[Creator] Jim Davern rung me up and asked me if I was interested,” Foley told Guardian Australia. “I said I was only interested if I could write my own character and my own dialogue.”'

Does the Museum Model Work?

Can art museums break away from their original purpose as a 'civilising' influence to be redefined as spaces that actually serve the communities in which they reside? The article includes quotes from former Queens Museum President and Executive Director Laura Raicovich and Chaédria LaBouvier, the first black curator and black woman to organize an exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum, who spoke out about being sidelined in the promotion of the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit she curated.

“For All of Us”: An Interview with Philly-based Cultural Organizer Marángeli Mejía-Rabell

An interview with Marángeli Mejía-Rabell, the cultural organizer and festival director for the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival and founder of AFROTAINO. She discusses her work and how it bridges the divide between Puerto Rico and Philadelphia, Latinx and Latin America. One of her early mentors was a substantial influence and shaped her approach; she says “at the center of everything he did was the community.”

How the Art of Social Practice Is Changing the World, One Row House at a Time

Artist Rick Lowe transformed derelict houses over 20 years into a thriving, African American cultural hub that preserves the community's roots. It is both a work of art and an act of community organising.

Auckland gallery Māori arts curator calls out colonial institutions after resigning

An article reporting on leading Maori curator Nigel Borell's resignation from Auckland Art Gallery. "There were challenges when it came to allowing Māori to have authority over their works and for Borell being able to lead in decision-making [...] We want to do it ourselves."

Adelaide's ActNow Theatre

Adelaide-based ActNow Theatre works with professional artists to engage diverse communities in conversations around challenging and contemporary issues, including racism, Islamophobia and sexual assault. It plays close attention to facilitation, community engagement, power structures and giving artists room for error.

“That’s what the democratisation of storytelling feels like to me—when it’s not an obligation or a burden to share that story.”

The Philippines’ Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival

The annual Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival is a recognised leader promoting marginalised filmmakers in South-East Asia.

The festival has supported the careers of filmmakers from Manila in the Philippines; Sarawak and Sabah in Malaysia; and Jogjakarta, Makassar and Sumatra in Indonesia. It provides a rare platform for Muslim and indigenous voices in Mindanao in the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia and offers screenings, training and international links.

Fostering a Safe Space with Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra

To create a safe space in his 20-piece Queensland ensemble, Obscure Orchestra, Matt Tsu makes the safe space explicit, paying everyone equally and ensuring minoritised artists lead.

“Can you play your instrument? Cool. But do we align when it comes to anti-racism, being allies to queer, non-binary, trans people? Are we pro-refugees coming here and making a home for themselves? That sort of thing.”

Perth's Portside Review

Portside Review is an international literary journal publishing essays, short stories, and poetry for and from the regions bordering the Indian Ocean. Its principles include:
* Locating your own centre - to liberate from prize and market culture and emphasise community definitions of 'good' writing and art
* Foregrounding cultural and ethnic identity - beyond national borders
* Artist support & pay parity - no matter where an artist is located or how difficult the times

Melbourne Rebetiko Festival

It’s not easy to attract a huge mainstream crowd to a festival dedicated to a culturally specific music style. But the Melbourne Rebetiko Festival has done just that – selling around 800 tickets for its full-day events dedicated to the ‘Greek blues’, including an estimated 25% non-Greek audience.

How did they do it? Through edgy branding, power partnerships and clicky content.

Collaboration with Greek-Australian communities

The British Museum’s controversial collections include the Parthenon Sculptures, or Marbles, taken in 1804 by Thomas Bruce (also known as Lord Elgin) from the Parthenon with the collusion of the Ottoman colonial rulers of Greece and the museum has refused to repatriate them.

When Canberra’s National Museum of Australia (NMA) planned to exhibit 170 Ancient Greek art works housed at the British Museum, they knew they needed the support of the Greek community in Australia. Here's how the did it.

Fostering Inclusive Success

Dahlia Books is an independent press based in Leicester that champions regional and diverse voices and provides a platform for original fiction and writers who are ignored by the mainstream.

Their leading programme is The Middle Way Mentoring Programme, a two-year professional development project that supports Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers. The program helps participants to examine the craft and the journey a writer needs to take to be published and become a professional creative.

Suriya Women’s Development Centre

Suriya Women’s Development Centre has been working with women in Sri Lanka since 1990 with the aim to create an equitable and peaceful society which treats women with dignity.

The key attributes of Suriya's cultural activism are:
* Integrating cultural activism into programs
* Applying culturally appropriate methods
* Adopting a collaborative creative development process
* Building a resilient community arts practice

Preserving indigenous heritage and showcasing the arts of the Agta people

The Agtas are the aboriginal Filipinos who have been driven out of their lands to live on mountain tops and far-flung lakeshores. The Savage Mind Bookshop and its offshoot, Kamarin Art Gallery, have reached out to the Agta people of Lake Buhi to provide a means for them to create art, preserve their language and history, and ensure that their heritage and culture are not erased by the country’s rapid industrialisation.

Co-creating an accessible arena for visually impaired creatives

Founded by artist Alecia Neo in 2014, Unseen Art Initiatives is a platform which organises socially engaged, interdisciplinary and experiential projects that focus on the production and curation of inclusive art projects.

“It is important for industry professionals to commit and support access work on a long-term basis because it builds trust and serves as advocacy for disability-led works.”

Showcasing the talent of artists with disabilities on the big stage

The Inclusive Young Company (iYC) program from the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) focuses on nurturing and showcasing the talent of young people and adults aged 16 to 35, who identify as persons with disabilities.

“The long-term goal of iYC is to not only have artists with disabilities in the performance making, but also to take on and contribute to the industry via leadership roles.“ - Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Inclusive Young Company program

Anti-racism Empowering Change Through Art and Culture

Featuring Imagine case studies from the Philippines, Australia and the UK, this online session looks at the work of organisations and initiatives that use literature, art, theatre and history to combat racism by promoting equity, diversity, and cultural empowerment. They champion Indigenous expressions, challenge social norms, and celebrate the rich heritage of marginalised artists and communities, inspiring change and fostering understanding in society.

Transforming Communities

Featuring Imagine case studies from Ethiopia (Fekat Circus), Egypt (Orchestra Al-Nour Wal Amal) and Australia (ActNow Theatre), this online session looks at organisations and initiatives that use various art forms, such as dance, theatre, film, storytelling, and music, to empower marginalised communities, promote social change, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for human rights.