Our arts groups must learn to be more diverse
I accepted the opportunity to cochair the Quality of Life subcommittee of the Color Outside the Lines initiative last January because I believed that the survival of arts and cultural nonprofits depended on reaching out to a more diverse constituency. I still believe that.
Six months later, extraordinary events have converged to bring the reality of racism into sharper focus, as well as the ongoing risk to so many lives.
A global pan- demic has claimed 126,000
American lives to date, with a disproportionate number of people of color as victims.
The death of George Floyd in police custody sparked protests across the U.S. and the world. Millions have taken to the streets demanding reform and racial justice.
Authorities used flash grenades and tear gas to disperse a peaceful demonstration in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. so President Trump could visit a church for a photo opportunity.
Color Outside the Lines is a series of community-wide meetings initiated by the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley to examine racial disparity and develop a strategic plan for diversity and inclusion for the region.
Conversations about race have started as more people are seeking common ground. The timing is right. There is momentum for change.
What is the response from the arts community in the midst of this storm? We have learned that racial disparity in the arts in the Lehigh Valley is systemic.
For example, less than 6% of the 130 cultural nonprofits in the region have a person of color in a leadership position; that includes the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, my own organization.
Are we prepared to do something about it? As my Jesuit high school history teacher used to say, “You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.”
The most powerful artistic expression to emerge in response to these incidents is the Black Lives Matter mural. The mayor of Washington, D.C., commissioned eight artists to paint a mural of 50-foot-high letters across two blocks of the street leading to the White House. This public art installation captures the energy and courage of protest and is a testament to civic discourse.
COVID-19 has shuttered the arts industry and left administrators to struggle with lost revenue and uncertainty. However, we must look forward and ask hard questions to successfully confront the challenges ahead.
How will our arts groups learn to be more diverse? Are we willing to consider mergers in lieu of closures? Can the region afford bigger and bigger cultural venues that predominately serve white audiences?
The time has come for the corporate and foundation communities to seriously consider a regional cultural plan for the arts that provides an infrastructure to address important issues in a timely manner.
The future for the arts doesn’t depend solely on emergency relief funds (there isn’t enough for everyone). It depends on the diversity of those we serve, the equality of opportunity we provide, and the sincere invitation we extend to all people to contribute and participate.
At a recent committee meeting, I was moved by the impassioned pleas of a Black woman who fears for the safety and future of her two sons and daughter. Her children can’t even ride their bikes in their own neighborhood. She is frustrated and exhausted from listening to her white co-workers who downplay her reality and anxiety.
“We need an anti-racist agenda,” she exclaimed. I wholeheartedly agree.
To that end, Color Outside the Lines is building an anti-racist coalition. The death of George Floyd has galvanized the nation’s attention and brought us together — Black and white, young and old, and Christian, Muslim and Jew. Together, we march in solidarity, choosing justice over hate.
I invite you to get involved. Please contact me at rforte@lvartscouncil.org.
Randall Forte has served as executive director of Lehigh Valley Arts Council since 1999 and serves on the steering committee for the Disability Friendly Community of the Lehigh Valley. In July, the Arts Council will move its office to the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living and continue to work toward greater access to the arts for persons of all abilities.