Diversity Agents as a help for cultural institutions
DIVERSITY AGENTS AS HELP FOR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
Would you like to know how to make your work environment or project more diverse and inclusive? Would you like your institution to be more diversity-minded?
What are Diversity Agents?
Diversity Agents are a network of arts and culture professionals who have multicultural backgrounds, strategic diversity skills as well as knowledge and experience of the work ethic in Finland. In addition, they have extensive creative and problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate information in an engaging and constructive way. They have graduated from a Diversity agent course arranged in a project Avaus – Opening. Becoming an agent in the field of arts and culture in Finland.
“As Diversity Agents, we recognize the inherent value of diversity of all forms within art and culture institutions. We also identify the intersectionality and different interpretations of the concept of diversity. Much more than a buzzword, diversity encompasses a radical way to rethink administration, management, curatorial process, content, language, workspace and public engagement. Plurality of ideas, cultural backgrounds, personal experiences and alternative narratives in various fields such as the arts and social sciences is highly celebrated within our community. We encourage art institutions to consider themselves as spaces of hospitality and care and hope they are able to reflect the multiplicity of our societies. As welcoming hosts, art and culture institutions can create a much more engaging cultural experience for their audience. We believe inclusiveness is the key to cultivating a wider audience for cultural activities but also can help local institutions establish an international presence.”
Diversity Agents Brochure [PDF].
What is a Diversity agent course?
Diversity agent course was part of the project Avaus – Opening. Becoming an agent in the field of arts and culture in Finland. The course was targeted for cultural workers and artists of non-Finnish origin or background. The course was organized together by Globe Art Point, Culture for All Service and Center for cultural policy research Cupore. The project was funded by Finnish National Agency for Education and it lasted until end of the spring 2020.
The aim of the course was to offer tools for developing diversity in the arts and culture sector. The course introduced participants to topics related to diversity, familiarized with the arts and culture sector and cultural policy in Finland and offered an opportunity to work concretely with diversity in an institutional context.
There were 11 arts and culture professionals participating in the course. They were selected through an open call procedure in March 2019 and they graduated in December 10, 2019.
The second Diversity agent course is coming up soon, stay tuned!
Diversity agents can help you!
Diversity agents are on hand to support the diversity work of cultural institutions. Working with them will require the commitment of your resources in terms of time and money. Please contact the agents directly to find out about about the possible modes of cooperation and fees or send us an email to info@globeartpoint.fi and we will help you to coordinate the Diversity training.
The list of Diversity Agents:
The picture: Graduation Party of the Diversity Agent Course, December 2019.
Back row from left to right: Sadjad Shokoohi, Pablo Alvarez, Laura Gazzotti, Anastasia Artemeva, Kemê Pellicer, Daria Agapova, Tatiana Solevieva, Ilaria Tucci. Front row from left to right: Arlene Tucker, Martina Marti (course coordinator), Sheung Yiu.