How to demonstrate Equality & Diversity

We recognise that the creative, cultural, and heritage sectors hold immense potential to reflect and celebrate diversity, but the reality often seems to fall short of this. Structural inequalities still persist, with significant barriers to entry and biases favouring specific demographic groups. Recent reports are still showing inequalities, with the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, led by Newcastle University Business School, noting that ​“the creative industries have serious institutional and workforce problems. There are considerable barriers to enter the sector and strong biases towards specific demographic groups. They are, therefore, neither inclusive nor diverse.” Not only do structural inequalities in the creative, cultural, and heritage sectors limit individual opportunities, but they also hold back the potential of the industries as a whole. By improving equality and diversity practices, we can enrich the creative landscape and ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate and benefit. However, we also acknowledge that this is a journey, and one we are navigating ourselves. Focusing on these three key areas has helped us begin to make meaningful and lasting changes as we aim to be more inclusive in our own work. 

1) Equality in the Workplace

Equality in the workplace goes beyond complying with legal obligations; it involves embedding policies and practices that actively promote fairness and inclusivity. Organisations should develop action plans tailored to their unique circumstances, reflecting their services, workforce, and audience. Key areas to address include:

• Fair Treatment: Ensuring all employees and participants feel valued and respected.
• Legal Awareness: Educating staff about the Equality Act 2010 and protected characteristics.
• Clear Procedures: Providing transparent processes for raising and resolving concerns.
• Workplace Behaviour: Encouraging respectful, inclusive interactions.
• Support Systems: Offering resources and assistance for those facing equality challenges.

At Artswork, we understand that creating an inclusive workplace means embedding equality and diversity at every level of the organisation. This year, we’ve been listening to voices with lived experiences to make our recruitment processes more equitable. This has included using clear and jargon-free language in job advertisements, and enabling applications in written, audio, or video formats. These steps have helped broaden the diversity of applicants and our workforce. We’ve also provided access to unconscious biastraining for all staff. This training has given us the opportunity to reflect individually on the biases we may unknowingly hold and how these might influence our work. Recognising these biases is an important first step towards addressing them and minimising their impact.

2) Reasonable Adjustments

A fundamental aspect of inclusive practice is the concept of reasonable adjustment. This involves identifying and addressing barriers that might prevent disabled individuals from fully participating in workspaces, activities, or services. Adjustments might include:

• Improving physical accessibility, such as adding ramps or lifts.
• Adapting equipment, like ergonomic furniture or assistive technology.
• Providing alternative formats for instructions and resources.
• Offering flexible working hours or time off for medical needs.

For instance, consider the shift from the Medical Model to the Social Model of Disability. The former views disability as a problem intrinsic to the individual, whereas the latter focuses on how societal barriers can be removed to enable participation. For example, a theatre that provides relaxed performances with reduced sound and lighting is a perfect example of the Social Model in action. Without these adjustments, an individual may not be able to attend a performance at all. Reasonable adjustments are about recognising that everyone’s needs are different and adapting to ensure that no one is unfairly disadvantaged. For example, we do everything within our power to accommodate reasonable adjustments in our live training sessions to maximise everyone’s learning experience. This includes providing participants with an agenda on request to help them better prepare, offering live captioning, and utilising interpreters to support participants who are hard of hearing. However, we know we don’t always get it right, so listening to feedback is important to ensure we can make further meaningful improvements in the future. Making reasonable adjustments can be as simple as offering alternative formats for applications or as impactful as redesigning processes to ensure inclusivity is built into the core of organisational operations. By embracing this mindset, it’s possible to create more supportive environments for everyone.

3) Accessibility

Accessibility extends far beyond physical spaces. Digital content, printed materials, and even event schedules must be designed to accommodate diverse needs. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines offer a framework to ensure learning opportunities are inclusive. Artswork have recently updated the colours and fonts on our professional development completion certificates after feedback from individuals with dyslexia. This small but meaningful change demonstrates our willingness to listen and adapt to lived experiences. To enhance accessibility, consider:

• Creating printed and digital materials in accessible formats.
• Using inclusive language in communication.
• Ensuring websites and digital platforms meet accessibility standards.
• Developing sensory-friendly activities and environments.

The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers not to discriminate against individuals with protected characteristics. By embedding accessibility into all aspects of your work, you can actively promote equality and diversity while complying with the law.

Embedding Equality and Diversity

Promoting equality and diversity requires commitment and continuous effort. Here are some actionable steps to get started:

1. Evaluate Your Policies: Ensure they reflect your commitment to inclusivity and are regularly updated.
2. Educate Your Team: Offer training on unconscious bias to help staff identify and overcome their own biases.
3. Diversify Recruitment: Actively seek to attract candidates from underrepresented groups.
4. Collaborate and Learn: Partner with organisations that specialise in accessibility or diversity to share knowledge and resources.
5. Monitor and Reflect: Collect data to evaluate the impact of changes you implement, and use this to refine your approach.

We believe inclusivity means being willing to listen and adapt when things aren’t quite right. This has been an ongoing learning process for us, and we are dedicated to making changes, big or small, that reduce barriers for everyone. The creative, cultural, and heritage sectors have a unique opportunity to lead by example. By committing to equality, diversity and inclusion, organisations can enrich their work, attract broader audiences, and help dismantle systemic barriers. For those seeking deeper insights and practical tools, our Equality & Diversity on-demand course offers in-depth guidance on embedding these values into your organisation and the work you do. Take the steps needed to ensure that the creative industries reflect the vibrant diversity of the communities we represent. When everyone can participate, we all benefit. 

Inspired? If you are looking to incorporate some of these techniques or develop work with young people within your own organisation, talk to us. Our knowledgeable and highly experienced team can help you with a range of delivery, development and consultancy projects.