Anti-racism actions

English Cymraeg

Anti-racism Action Plan 2022 / 23

Working in rural contexts we are sometimes confronted with the statement ‘racism isn’t an issue here’. However, racism is experienced by people living in and visiting rural areas. We know this not only from published research, but more directly because we have encountered racist behaviour in our work. As a publicly funded organisation, we embrace our responsibility to recognise and address racism and its impact on those we work with. 

Peak aims to support positive change for the people and places where we work, amplifying the lived experiences and creative practices of those furthest from power. Striving to be anti-racist is part of our wider commitment to tackling systemic injustices; our work focuses on people with protected characteristics as defined in Equalities Act 2015, as well as those facing barriers of income, class, education and location and those facing the multiple barriers of intersectional identities. In this plan, we use the term People of Colour to include people of global majority heritages including African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, East Asian, South Asian, Indigenous, Pacific Islander and Latinx heritage and those with mixed heritages.

Peak’s 2022/23 anti-racism actions builds on learning from our pilot AR plan, recognising that this work is long-term and must be based on meaningful relationships, dialogue and above all, action:

Peak will:

1.     Centre People of Colour in our programming with a minimum of 30% of programming undertaken by Artists of Colour – a commitment to collaborate with a greater number of artists and creative practitioners with a breadth of lived experiences. We will report on this via our public channels as well as direct reporting to funders. Timescale: immediate

2.     Recruit a minimum of two new board members with global majority identities to Peak’s Board enabling wider representation of backgrounds, identities and experience within our leadership, which is currently 100% white. Due to recent and imminent retirements, Peak needs at least three new trustees.We will be mindful of the timing of new appointments so that representation is ongoing. We offer peer and mentor support to new trustees. Timescale: Peak’s AGM in November 2022

3.     Expand the anti-racism content of our Reading Room library at Platfform 2, Abergavenny Train Station with a focus on writers of colour and the intersection of race, climate, decolonisation, poetry and radical artistic practices. Target – 30 additions to the library (books, essays or journals) and three activations of the reading room as part of Casgleb, our 2022 R&D programme. The library is being assembled through recommendations from artists, young people and partners; you see our growing library index here. Timescale: by 31 December 2022

4.     Programme anti-racist learning for staff, trustees, volunteers, freelance practitioners and young people. Alongside a dedicated budget for young people to plan their own learning, staff and trustees commit to continue personal learning and to programme at least one externally led training event organised by Peak in dialogue with our networks of colleagues, peers and partners. Timescale: by February 2023

5.     Address behaviour and language that falls short of Peak’s commitments and values by implementing a clear protocol for meetings and activities alongside a transparent complaints and concerns process that enables matters to be raised and dealt with anonymously. Timescale: by June 2022

6.     Review and update our recruitment processes to empower and encourage people to respond to open call opportunities who identify as black or as a non-black person of colour. Our 2022 target is 15% of applications. We recognise that enabling and supporting people to move to employed roles in a rural area demands long term commitment and resources to support relocation. Timescale: Summer 2022 leadership recruitment

­– The Peak team: Justine Wheatley, Melissa Appleton, Louise Hobson, Esyllt Lewis, Gwenllian Davenport. Crickhowell/Abergavenny, April 2022

Find linked here our: first Anti Racism Action Plan (July 2020) and review (January 2022).