Class and Working in the Arts

Although a third of the UK workforce comes from working class origins, just 18.2% of the music, performing and visual arts workforce is working class. Having a diverse and representative staff team in your organisation can be key to understanding and communicating with the range of audiences you want to experience your shows, projects, or exhibitions.

In the article, Danielle Rose details first-hand the things that can make a difference to a working-class person trying to break into the cultural sector.

Some of the suggestions require larger structural chances - such as a re-focus on creative subjects available in schools, but others, such as advertising vacancies locally, are relatively easy and low-cost for organisations themselves to implement.

The article highlights some of the invisible barriers we may be putting up to potential new staff members in our organisations, and if you've got a vacancy coming up too, it's definitely worth a read before you put out that job advert.

Read: Class and Working in the Arts

About the Author

Danielle Rose is a producer, project manager, and tour manager based in London. She is passionate about how the creative industries can ensure that people from working class backgrounds are not excluded by structural barriers and are better enabled to access, participate in and work in the arts.

Twitter: @_RosyD