In response to the recent events in the US and UK and the work of Black Lives Matter movements globally, arts organisations are reviewing their relationships and practices around ethnicity and inclusion.
Awareness has never been higher of conscious and unconscious bias, micro-aggressions and prejudiced behaviour that ethnically diverse people experience, often daily. We’re glad it’s out in the open and that allies are taking active steps towards change.
But the impact on our lives is not yet fully understood. Across all areas of life, on a daily basis, the effects of racism places a heavy burden on our emotional and physical wellbeing.
Ethnically diverse people – whether they are of African or Asian diasporas, or anywhere else in the world – are seriously affected by the attitudes and behaviours of others.
That’s why we created Inc Arts Minds.
Inc Arts Minds is an initiative by Inc Arts to provide emotional support for those who bear the burden of others’ racism. Inc Arts Minds aims to support the emotional wellbeing of ethnically diverse performers, musicians, stage management, creatives, producers and others working in the arts, museums and libraries in the UK.
We aim to deal with the effects of racism in our daily lives, by providing both professional and peer-led emotional and mental health support.
Whether it be a one-off session just to check in or longer-term support to deal with the effects of racism in their working and daily lives, we want everyone who needs it to be able to access that support.
We will manage the referrals and put people in touch with a network of black and ethnically diverse therapists, via charities like Black Minds Matter and through building our own networks.
All funds raised will be equally split to support the mental health of black and ethnically diverse arts workers.
Inc Arts will enable as many people as possible to get specialised help from therapists with lived experience of racism, who truly understand the pressures involved.