Avaus/Opening projects: diversity should be taken into account in the fields of arts and culture

Avaus projects and the research data collected in the projects show that we need to take diversity into account better in the fields of arts and culture. Diversity should be included in the strategic work of the arts and cultural institutions. The art and cultural organisations should have guidelines and plans about diverse personnel policy. We should work actively against racism and discrimination. The professionals in the arts and culture field need more training on how to be conscious of racism and how to work against it. The dialogue between foreign-born – and racialised – artists and professionals of the culture field and the arts and cultural institutions is needed. We also encourage the arts and cultural institutions to use the expertise of the diversity agents, which were trained during the Avaus 2.0 projects.

We want to thank the coordinator of the projects, Martina Marti, and the project partners Centre for Cultural Policy Research Cupore and Globe Art Point; diversity agents and the funders of the projects Ministry of Education and Culture and the National Agency for Education!

The final report is available in Finnish:

Avaus/Opening projects 2017–2020. Final report (in Finnish) [PDF]

Avaus/Opening projects 2017–2020. Final report (in Finnish) [DOCX] 

Avaus - Opening. Becoming an agent in the field of arts and culture in Finland (2017–2019) was a project which supported the participation of artists and cultural workers of non-Finnish origin or background in the Finnish arts and culture scene. The project was carried out together with the Centre for Cultural Policy Research Cupore and Globe Art Point, and it was supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the National Agency for Education.

Avaus 2.0 – Toimijasta mentoriksi (2019–2020) continued the first Avaus project. It received funding from the National Agency for Education. The aim of the project was to promote cultural diversity in the field of arts and culture by training foreing-born artists and cultural field professionals to work as diversity agents.

Material produced during the Avaus projects:

Avaus Diversity Information Pack (PDF)

Avaus Diversity Information Pack (accessible DOCX)

Information about diversity agents

Cupore´s research Opening the status of foreign-born arts and culture professionals in Finland

Recording of the Concluding Seminar of Avaus/Opening project 2020 (YouTube)

Read more about the Project Avaus - Opening.

Culture for All Service

Publisher of the report, Culture for All Service / Association for Culture on Equal Terms, promotes cultural services that are inclusive, equitable, and take diverse audiences and art professionals into account. The service offers information and tools for professionals in the arts and culture field to improve accessibility, equality, and knowledge of diversity. www.cultureforall.fi

More information

Mira Haataja 

Dep. Executive Director 

Kulttuuria kaikille -palvelu 

mira.haataja@cultureforall.fi

Tel. 040 213 6339 (Country code +358)

www.cultureforall.fi