Artists and arts workers from minoritised groups subjected to discrimination and harmful behaviours in their workplaces, ‘Safe to Create’ research finds
Report calls for transformative action to provide safe and respectful working conditions for all
Disabled, LGBTQIA+, and ethnically diverse artists and arts workers are experiencing discrimination, exclusion, and other harmful behaviours and challenging conditions in Ireland’s arts and creative sector.
That’s according to a new report published by Irish Theatre Institute (ITI) as part of the ‘Safe to Create’ programme, which was launched in 2022 to transform workplace culture and practices, and to provide safe and respectful working conditions for those working in the arts.
The report, entitled AMPLIFY: A Call for Transformative Action, presents the findings of a comprehensive research programme, designed to shed light on the lived experiences of disabled, LGBTQIA+, and ethnically diverse artists and arts workers in Ireland. More than 500 artists and arts workers from across different art forms, including visual arts, theatre, film, music, literature, and others, participated in the study, which comprised online surveys, focus groups, and one-to-one interviews.
To capture information on the lived experience of intellectually disabled (ID) artists, a strand of the research focused specifically on surveying ID artists, family members of ID artists, ID arts organisations, and arts workers who facilitate arts projects with ID artists.
“The study has been designed and rolled out in close consultation with the constituent groups concerned, and the research captures both quantitative and qualitative data on the lived experiences of artists and arts workers in Ireland. Respondents were asked about their views on how their disability, minoritised racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, or intersex status impacts them in their workplace, and the research findings offer important insights that are hugely valuable for the ‘Safe to Create’ programme,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr Ciara Murphy.
Key findings set out in the report include:
Identity-based discrimination is pervasive and takes many forms. For example, 63% of disabled respondents experienced disability-related micro-aggressions; while 43% of LGBTQIA+ respondents reported facing micro-aggressions related to their sexual orientation, gender identity, or intersex status. Just over half (51%) of racially and ethnically minoritised respondents said they had experienced racial micro-aggressions, and a further 40% indicated they had experienced racial discrimination in their workplaces. Micro-aggressions include negative or non-inclusive language, comments, jokes, and other harmful behaviours.
A significant number of respondents feel they missed opportunities at work due to negative perceptions of them by others. This was stated by 74% of disabled respondents; 43% of LGBTQIA+ respondents; and 54% of racially and ethnically minoritised respondents. Additionally, two-thirds of facilitators working with ID artists and all ID organisations surveyed reported that ID artists are ‘often’ or ‘somewhat’ discouraged from exploring certain arts practices.
Reporting structures and policies are not operating well, and many individuals are afraid to raise issues at work. Specifically, 60% of disabled respondents; 55% of racially and ethnically minoritised respondents; and 45% of LGBTQIA+ respondents indicated that they fear reputational damage. Family members of ID artists also cited various reasons for not reporting issues.
There is a lack of awareness and understanding of the lived experience of minoritised artists and arts workers and the burden of improving conditions falls on the minoritised artists and arts workers themselves. For instance, 59% of disabled respondents highlighted a lack of understanding of disability-related issues in their workplaces, and 69% noted that disabled artists and arts workers are doing most of the work to improve conditions in the sector for this constituency. More than half (53%) of LGBTQIA+ respondents feel their colleagues lack awareness/sensitivity on LGBTQIA+ identity, with 73% stating that LGBTQIA+ artists and arts workers are doing most of the work to improve conditions. Two-thirds of racially or ethnically minoritised respondents said their colleagues lack awareness/sensitivity in respect of race/ethnicity, with almost half saying that racially or ethnically minoritised artists and arts workers are doing most of the work to improve conditions. Three-quarters of facilitators working with ID artists and half of ID artists’ family members believe there is a poor understanding of intellectual disability within the sector.
Commenting on the report, Director of ITI, Niamh O’Donnell said: “It is clear from our research that marginalisation in the arts is the result of structural and systemic discrimination. This persistently places LGBTQIA+, disabled, and ethnically diverse artists and arts workers at a disadvantage compared to their peers. This exclusion undermines and undervalues their work, and adversely impacts everyone in society.
“To create a safe, respectful, inclusive, and equitable working environment for everyone, meaningful change and actions are required throughout all levels of the sector. This includes activating leaders to advance transformation in their organisations; building policy, process and action led commitment; and expanding capacity through the provision of training and resources. It also includes challenging systemic barriers and inherent structural ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and racism through inter-departmental and inter-agency collaboration. Our report sets out detailed recommendations under each of these headings.”
Ms O’Donnell said that the recommendations represent a measured start and shared pathway towards ensuring dignity, equity, and inclusion in Ireland’s arts and creative sector. “The more diverse our sector becomes, the stronger it will be. Equity is about rights, fairness and justice. It’s imperative everyone is treated with the same dignity and respect.”
The AMPLIFY report was launched today at the Project Arts Centre in Dublin. The launch event was hosted by writer, performer, and cultural consultant, Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan, and comprised the presentation of the research findings and associated recommendations and an in-conversation piece between Irish-Nigerian academic, author, and broadcaster, Emma Dabiri, and theatre director Oonagh Murphy. The event also included a panel discussion, moderated by curator and writer Iarlaith Ní Fheorais, which featured artists Alan James Burns, Shane Michael Byrne (supported by Caroline Loughman), Oein DeBhairduin, Amahra Spence, and Lianne Quigley, who spoke about their work and approaches to tackling barriers they have encountered in the arts sector. A recording of a spoken word performance by Nigerian-Irish poet FELISPEAKS, commissioned and created specifically for the event, was screened, and the event closed with a performance by Libyan-Irish singer songwriter Farah Elle.
The report is available for download from safetocreate.ie/research.
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Contact: Sebastian Enke, Enkom PR, Tel: 087-3239496 / Email: media@enkom.ie