Man Talk

The Cultural Leadership Programme Powerbrokers strand was given a rousing start by Culture Minister, David Lammy MP, at the Beyond Diversity – Man Talk debate on March 13. In the grand setting of London’s ICA leading African, Caribbean, Asian and Chinese cultural leaders debated with an enthusiastic audience how to jump the hurdles that litter the paths of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) leaders seeking to reach the professional pinnacles in the creative and cultural sectors.

Challenging the prevailing media images of crime and under-achievement, the debate featured:
Marc Boothe (Director B3 Media)
Ekow Eshun (Artistic Director, ICA)
Keith Khan (former Chief Executive, Rich Mix)
Charles Small (Chief Executive, The Drum, Birmingham)
David Tse (Artistic Director, Yellow Earth Theatre Company and Chinatown Arts Space)
Chaired by Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey.

“I have big, big hopes for the Cultural Leadership Programme,” said England’s only black male MP. “The public at large need
wider narratives than those that are being told. We need these role models – or the nature of exclusion will get worse.
“We need to keep an eye on the glass ceilings. Powerbrokers is about establishing networks – to have people you can rely on to give you advice and be your advocate or mentor.” Championing the cause of strong and consistent action, the Minister called upon the cultural sector to continue its momentum for change: “People cannot solely recruit in their own image - there have to be fair pathways to progress and I am pleased we now have the Cultural Leadership Programme with an agenda that will enable us to move forward.”

The Beyond Diversity debate sought to penetrate the shell of minority-centred arguments and hear how these culturally
diverse leaders are tackling the challenges of leading our 21st Century organisations. Echoing the Minister’s advice to build a strong network and confidence that ‘affirms who you are’, Ekow Eshun advised: “Leadership is loaded with failure. You are going to fail, and be told you are wrong, every day – that’s part of the deal. So you have to know why you are doing it. There is no finish line and no perfect answer – acknowledge your own fallibility, have faith in your colleagues and just keep on doing the best you can.”

Marc Boothe saw a strong place for love, passion, and energy. “If you don’t have those, what’s the point? You do encounter
obstacles, racism… but if you can’t find a way, make a way.” This is the approach Mark took when he curated Nubian Tales – a landmark series of black films in London’s West End.

Charles Small saw key leaders as “risk takers and change managers. You need artistic vision and to be able to take people with you. If you are from a BME background, you
have to work so much harder – either you
think so, or you really do have to.”
Whilst David Tse highlighted the need to build capacity in the East Asian arts sector – as a simple factor of the lower demographics, Keith Khan mused “Am I playing in the
system, on the system, or is the system playing me?” He valued listening to other people and advocated ‘digging deep’ to ensure that initiatives like Powerbrokers have a sustainable impact.

Baroness Young chaired a lively and spirited debate that reflected the positive atmosphere of the evening. Interactions with the audience raised the moot question of whether ‘class’ was equal to or more of an issue than race? Whether the vacancies at the top of the profession were really being made available alongside these proactive programmes, and whether we would see a manifest difference in this generation? The key, it was agreed, was to take part and ‘count yourself in’.