Ethnic minority talent needs to be celebrated: Activists  

By Nadeem Badshah

FEWER British Asians are taking part in the arts compared to other ethnic groups, the latest government figures have revealed.

Campaigners have expressed concern after data showed that 59 per cent of Asians aged 16 and older went to an exhibition or performed in a play at least once in 2018-2019, compared to 79 per cent of Caucasian and 68 per cent black people.

Among south Asians, the figure for participation has become worse – it fell from 66 per cent in 2012- 2013 to 64.4 in 2017-2018. And 88.7 per cent of people with mixed ethnicity took part in the arts, the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport statistics showed.

It comes amid growing calls for TV bosses to promote increased diversity in their casting and stories about BAME cultures.

Kishan Devani, vice-president of the Liberal Democrats Campaign for Racial Equality, said the figures were disappointing, given role models like actor Dev Patel, who appears in the new film The Personal History of David Copperfield.

Devani, who was named in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list for services to community cohesion, told Eastern Eye: “Historically, Asian parents have always promoted subjects like maths and science to their children. However, we must look beyond this, at raising the profile of subjects such as drama and the arts in general among parents in our communities.

“This is a process, but we must start by educating families on the opportunities of participating in the arts and the benefits of doing so for their children in terms of career prospects.

“The general perception of the arts and subjects related to it in our curriculum – since the introduction of the English baccalaureate by the Conservative government – has gone down.

“This too has had a negative impact on the uptake and importance of such subjects in our schools, which in turns means fewer people post 16 want to involve themselves in the arts.”

Meanwhile, the number of programmes on terrestrial TV over the Christmas period featuring south Asian actors or stories was criticised by industry experts. Performers and a trade union have also hit out at the lack of ethnic minorities in schedules over the festive period and New Year.

Broadcaster ITV also faced criticism over its often all-white daytime lineup, other than ITV Lunchtime News host Nina Hossain. ITV’s onscreen BAME representation as of January 2019 was 17.8 per cent, while the BAME working age population is estimated at 12.9 per cent. Kumiko Mendl is artistic director at Yellow Earth Theatre in south London.

She said: “There is still a prevailing sense that the arts are not for us. I really fear that with less exposure and opportunity for children and young people to engage in the arts at school, this figure will become worse.

“This is why companies like Tamasha, Kali and ourselves play such a crucial part in providing opportunities for Asians to get involved in the arts.

“We run acting academies, training opportunities and writing programmes specifically for British East Asians, young and old and are proving to be hugely important pathways into the industry.

“But we need so much more. We need our voices to be heard, our talents to be celebrated, our stories to be told.” Jabeer Butt, CEO of the Race Equality Foundation, said access to the arts is an important part of cultural life.

He added: “While there has been some improvement over the years, it’s clear from these statistics that there is still much more to do.

“That has to include promoting access to the arts, but also looking at what is being commissioned and representation across the arts.”

Arts Council England (ACE) is set to publish its 10-year strategy for the arts in February outlining its strategic visions and goals. Abid Hussain, director of diversity at ACE told Eastern Eye: “It’s important that people from all backgrounds find arts and cultural activities they feel engaged and excited by to ensure that across the country, audiences reflect the diversity of England.

“Through our work advancing the creative case for diversity, we want to ensure that performances presented on stages, collections and activities in galleries, museums and libraries reflect the talent and stories of all our communities.

“Across the country we’re seeing Arts Councilfunded organisations including Manchester Museums, Rifco, Kiln Theatre, New Art Exchange and Asian Arts Agency presenting high-quality work that is helping to increase south Asian engagement in the arts”.

I’m not my community: Patel

The Oscar-nominated star, whose film The Personal History of David Copperfield is due out on Friday (24), admitted there was “a lot more pressure on (BAME actors)”.

“You’re kind of forced to represent an entire community, which is not fair. You didn’t ask for that responsibility,” he said.

Dev Patel

“(Get Out actor) Daniel Kaluuya, who is a friend of mine, said in an interview once that you wouldn’t ask that of any other Caucasian actor – to represent every white man on the street, so don’t expect of that me.”

On his latest role in David Copperfield, in which Patel stars as the protagonist, the 29-year-old said he previously believed that period dramas were offlimits to him.

“It’s kind of like this incredible party that you can never get into. And then along comes Armando [Iannucci, the director] and he kicks the bouncer, and then you’re in”, Patel said.

“Normally in a period film, I’d be at the back holding the tray.”

Patel made his screen debut in 2006 in the first two seasons of the British TV teen drama Skins. He later received critical acclaim for his role in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire in 2008.