Agenda item

Report of the Artistic Director.

The Board received a joint report of the Head of HR and Artistic Director providing Members with an update on the equality and inclusion initiatives over the last year, detailing the most recent progress against the long-term strategy, which was signed off by the Barbican Board last July.

·         It was highlighted that equality and inclusion was not isolated covering all areas across the organisation, but the Barbican was dedicated to progress this work.

·         The Centre has entered the third year of its Equality and Inclusion Strategy and evaluation of the strategy identified that lots had been learnt but there was still more work to be done including the need to solidify the access offer and ensuring the building works for all users.

·         The Barbican has engaged in practice-sharing with other arts organisations, particularly on the monitoring of artists.

·         The Chairman noted that programming was doing well at promoting diversity by increasingly attracting diverse audiences.

·         Members discussed the importance of having a diverse Board and Senior Managers/Officers and understanding what this diversity meant. It was noted that the membership of the Board was outside the control of the Barbican due to the set standards of the Corporation but that the Board’s Nominations Committee was used to ensure that diversity and inclusion were a priority when selecting external Members.

·         Members were informed that Officer data on equality and inclusion were included within the report and data concerning the Board could be produced using the outcomes of the annual Arts Council survey.

·         It was noted that the Corporation was aware that more work was needed and had made a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Corporation was working to achieve a gold standard for accreditation of the Barbican.  

·         The Deputy Chair noted that he chaired the Members Diversity Working Party which had developed a number of recommendations for Members which had received support from the Policy & Resources Committee.

·         Members were advised that an all party group would launch on Monday and the Barbican would be in attendance.

RECEIVED.