News: Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity and the Arts Research

The research will inform arts policy in the area of Cultural Diversity and be used as the basis for recommendations for the development of an Arts Council Action Plan that will enable minority ethnic and cultural groups to participate and contribute more fully to the cultural life of Ireland.

The process

The research took place throughout 2008; it combined national and international desk research, extensive consultation, analysis and completion of a report and recommendations

The people involved

Create managed a team of researchers, each focusing on a specific element of the research:

The international research was undertaken by researchers from the Change Institute (Jagtar Singh, Lakhbir Bandal and Will Hammonds) while the national research was conducted by Drs. Suzanna Chan and Daniel Jewesbury (University of Ulster)

The consultation process with national agencies and resource organisations was conducted by Rustom Bharucha (writer, dramaturge and cultural diversity consultant) while regional consultation with different stakeholders and minority ethnic and cultural groups also conducted By Dr Daniel Jewesbury. A research advisory team was established, including Dr. Ronit Lentin ( Head Department of Sociology, Trinity); Piaras MacÉinrí (Migration Studies, NUI Cork) and Dr. Alice Feldman (Migration and Citizenship Research Initiative, UCD)

The research is being overseen by a steering group that is made up of: Dr. Aileen Pearson Evans (Chair, DCU); Janet Lacey (Dept of Justice, Equality and Law Reform); Orla Moloney (Arts Council); Sabina O’Donnell (Dept. of Arts, Sport and Tourism); Dominic Campbell (artist/ consultant); Chinedu Onyejelem (Publisher, Metro Eireann); Shalini Sinha (Independent media producer); Deirdre Figueiredo (Chair of Arts Council England Cultural Diversity Advisory and Monitoring Panel); Ruairí Ó Cuív (Chair of Create/independent arts consultant); Katrina Goldstone (Create ;in independent capacity); Kataryzna Mejger, independent advisor)

The people involved: Create will manage a team of researchers, each focusing on a specific element of the research:

The consultation process with national agencies and resource organisations will be conducted by Rustom Bharucha (writer, dramaturge and cultural diversity consultant) while regional consultation with different stakeholders and minority ethnic and cultural groups will be led by Deirdre Healy (Create)