sustained theatre

By Madani Younis

Do you think the Sector is shrinking - with regards to the number of Black, Asian, minority ethnic artists coming through?

As a young Artistic Director of a new RFO (Regularly Funded Organisation) based in Yorkshire, I think it’s scary I’m not seeing more emerging directors from the BME sector. There are lots of performers, almost a consistent number of performers, but are there lots of young men and women about to graduate and hoping to work in the arts? I’m struggling to believe that if we look at regional offices across the country, we would see any change from the established status quo. Are we really seeing young, emerging policymakers within these institutions, let alone within rep buildings around the country? Are we really getting representative diversity in numbers of people in management teams across the country? Black and Asian men and women in these positions, well it doesn’t really exist

Why do you think this is?

I think in respect to policymaking, I am baffled that we don’t have more [BME artists and practitioners in this area] but I don’t know if people even see it as an option. I don’t know if people are aware enough that it is a possibility. I do think half of it comes down to a lack of knowledge and encouragement of what could be possible as opposed to just the blanket level of people just saying "NO". That said, where do we see these emerging decision makers and policymakers coming from? We have to have a stronger handle on that now and address that, balance that. It's definitely vital

What is the logical step we need to take to change this?

I think one thing that we are awful at in this sector - in the theatre sector as a whole - is that more than any private or public comparison one could make, we simply cannot seem to celebrate artists when they are young. The theatre world finds it impossible to hold up artists of innovation and recognise them for making great work. In this industry, you almost need to be old and grey before the value of your art is acknowledged. In visual art, literature, music, film - it's almost the opposite. Artists like Tracey Emin, the Chapman brothers, Damien Hirst - they were celebrated or highlighted very early on in their careers. There is no parallel to be made in theatre. If people don't see artists celebrated and encouraged, it devalues and demoralises and gives little hope to those coming through now

Is something as arbitrary perhaps, as an "awards show" the only way to change this though? What is the solution?

I think we have to make the opportunities possible. There are artists out there doing great things and for those that know about them, well, they know. Arts Council will support them through grants, so they're not totally off the radar, they don’t have to be dug out from the ground. It’s the manner in which people are celebrated that is reallly important. In seven years of working professionally, I've had a unique experience, it isn't all too typical. I have had great advocacy, support, mentoring and people taking risks for me. Hopefully, I've lived up to their expectations but I think it’s really important to find out why younger artists aren’t sitting around the table with more established artists, in a much more broader sense. Not just in the BME sector. Why is it not possible for obviously talented, younger artists to be directing in bigger institutions? Why are those opportunities not forthcoming?

Surely, the question then becomes "How can we encourage young people to continue to pursue a long-term career in theatre?"

I think it’s a question we live with all the time that as a company, there are a number of artists we work with we think are inspiring and will go on to do great things, but tomake someone to become an artist? You can't. It's an innate thing. We're trying to show younger artists about the opportunities that lie ahead but it is tough. Progression comes on a project by project basis and takes a long time. Lots of these people could go off and make a career in a more commercial environment using their creative skills in a way that allows them to have a life and pay the bills

How do you think these young artists can be motivated to stay with theatre?

I don’t think young people are short of energy! I really don’t. I don’t think they're short of energy or ambition; these are attributes young people have in bucketloads. It is about the Sector being honest and being able to respond to these young people, to offer tangible opportunities to these young people. Not a false hope about what could happen.

To think, you have to be in this industry for about fifteen years from the moment you begin, before you're acknowledged for anything or can have a salary to support yourself? It's that level of stilted progression that becomes the stumbling block. Instead of rectifying that, we use patromising and controlling terms with our young people in this industry and place limits on our expectations of them

www.freedomstudios.co.uk

What do you think? Is it too difficult for young artists to progress? Does the theatre industry need to review its attitude to how it fosters talent? Or should the onus be on determined young artists to 'make it' through their own talent and ambition?

About the author

Madani Younis

Madani Younis, 28, is Artistic Director of Freedom Studios in Yorkshire having led the company from its original home within the Red Ladder Theatre company. He won the decibel Award at the South Bank Awards show in 2006 for his work "contributing to the development and promotion of a more culturally diverse arts sector". A Playwright with an MPhil in Creative Writing from the University of Birmingham, he has created work unafraid to take on topical issues within a contemporary creative framework. Freedom Studios strives to offer and empower young British Asian artists with an opportunity to learn and develop their craft