Agenda item

Oral update - the Director of Innovation & Engagement to be heard.

The Board received an oral update from the Director of Innovation and Engagement providing an update on the equality and inclusion work underway at the Centre.

Members were advised that setting up the Anti Racism Task & Finish Group, which will work as the engine room for the Centre’s work to address structural racism, remained a priority and was due to be announced imminently. The panel included internal and external expertise and was working on how it would be launched.

The Board were extremely supportive of the work of the new Task & Finish Group and the Chair agreed to send the Group a formal note of support.

A Member felt that the name should be changed as Task & Finish Group suggested the subject matter would finish. Members were advised that the final name was still being considered and it had already changed from “Taskforce” which was conserved too militaristic. An Officer noted that the Task & Finish Group would have a fixed period, and this was the first phase of this work. At its conclusion, this work would move into the wider long-term account of the organisation.

Members discussed best practice in the industry agreeing that wider resource was required to carry out a deep dive in line with work carried out by the Wellcome Collection to ensure diversity and inclusion was accessible at every level and create a truly open presence. The Chair saw this work as a priority and requested an update on best practice at the next Board meeting.

In response to a request by a Member, Officers agreed to share the details and job specification for the new Barbican senior role with Members for input.