Towards an anti-racist cultural sector: “Work in progress “ 

Where does your museum stand in terms of welcoming and representing racialised communities?  

Because fairer institutions are built through exchange and cooperation, today we present the fruit of a collective effort led by RABKO and Africalia. RABKO is a bilingual dialogue network bringing together numerous artistic and cultural venues in Brussels. Africalia, for its part, supports and promotes African creativities while encouraging reflection on diversity issues in the cultural sector.  

Through a series of seminars and interviews, these two organisations have taken stock of the situation and opened up avenues for reflection. The result: Work in progress, an inspirational guide. It is not a ready-made manual or an exhaustive user guide, but rather an invitation to question, dialogue and take action, based on real-life experiences and realities on the ground. This rich and detailed guide brings together practical tools to enable cultural institutions to engage in self-criticism and improve their reception of racialised communities.  

 A methodology for rethinking cultural practices  

Reflecting together is already a form of action. Before presenting the contents of the Work in Progress guide, we felt it was essential to highlight the working methodology adopted by RABKO and Africalia. This collective approach aims to inspire other institutions to engage in or deepen their anti-racist efforts.  

The guide is divided into six main sections, each setting out clear observations and concrete courses of action:  

1. Understanding the structural roots of racism in the cultural world
   The guide begins with a historical overview of the link between culture and racism. It emphasises that our cultural spaces are not neutral and can continue to perpetuate structural discrimination. That is why, as actors in society, they also invite us to take active responsibility in the fight against racism.  
2. Taking action at the governance level
   The involvement of the highest levels of management is essential to bring about lasting structural change. It is therefore important to strive for inclusive recruitment policies, particularly within boards of directors and management teams, in order to include voices from minority groups.  
3. Diversifying the entire workforce 
   The cultural sector remains predominantly white, which creates a perception bias known as the white gaze. To remedy this, the guide proposes, for example, the creation of ‘shadow boards’, advisory bodies composed of people from minority groups, which provide an outside perspective on governance decisions.  
4. Rethinking cultural venues 
   In a striking intervention, Véronique Clette-Gakuba points out that the architecture of cultural venues can evoke a certain form of colonialism and influence how the public is received. Their grandeur or solemnity can create a feeling of exclusion.  
5. Adapting the implicit codes of the cultural world 
   These spaces are the guardians of implicit rules and codes of behaviour (silence, calm, distance), which can hinder the appropriation of the space by new audiences. Relaxing these codes, showing kindness and allowing a form of behavioural flexibility can facilitate the arrival (and return) of more diverse audiences.  
6. Opening up programming and partnerships 
   Work in progress invites us to think of programming as a space for transformation. It calls for trusting artists of colour, breaking out of programming habits and involving relevant professionals in artistic choices. This requires a certain amount of letting go, but it allows for a true representation of the diversity of audiences and creations. 

Work in Progress does not offer a ready-made solution, but a living, evolving approach rooted in reality. It is a tool that is both reflective and pragmatic, designed to inspire change in our cultural institutions so that they benefit as many people as possible. For more details on the work of RABKO and Africalia, download the guide.  

@ Photo : adrxft_