Change starts within

As an interactive design studio, we have spent time over the past few months envisioning our future - focussing on what we are good at, what we love to do and also acknowledging where we can make improvements. Stand + Stare have been a resident company at Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol for many years now, and like many, we have been moved by the recent toppling of Edward Colston’s statue and the rippling calls to action and self-enquiry which this momentous act has prompted. 

In this climate, we are looking again at our diversity and inclusion policy and seeing what more we can do to become better equipped advocates for inclusive practices in the workplace. In February this year, we began to look for guidance in this area by joining Creative Workforce for the Future (CWFTF) professional development programme, delivered as part of the B+B Creative R+D programme, funded by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and European Social Fund. The programme has understandably morphed over the past few months as those involved have responded rapidly to the challenges and to the potential of lockdown as well as the surge of awakening through recent Black Lives Matter protests. Personally, I am finding that the seminars within this programme are key to helping me see fresh perspectives and learn new ways of recognising and changing unconscious bias within myself and within my patterns of work both in my role as Creative Producer for Stand + Stare and in other areas of my life too.

Creative Professionals on Creative Workforce for the Future programme 2019/2020. Video: Bex Rose, Watershed

Elonka Soros from Creative Access has led two eye-opening workshops firstly looking at unconscious bias and secondly exploring the difference between fitting in vs belonging. I participated in the second one, and it’s been invaluable to question ‘the way we do things’ in order to see where there is space for altering language choices, communications and decision-making within our small team and also with the wider pool of freelancers and clients we work with.

Elonka Soros asserted the potential of the ‘moment’ we are living in right now, encouraging each of us on the CWFTF programme to use this time to question, re-evaluate and redefine the frameworks of recruitment and the nuances of networking within the creative industries, in order to build in gradual steps towards dismantling systemic racism.

As the training continues, I feel privileged to participate in zoom sessions with Dr Mena Fombo, whose energetic person-centred approach to coaching, advocating and facilitating change is further deepening my self-reflections. These sessions are helping me to recognise and to tentatively open up dialogue that might hopefully help to change some of the behaviours, ideas and practices that don’t best support a diverse and inclusive workforce. 

Despite what I thought I knew, I can see that there is so much more to learn, and the responsibility for that learning lies with me. Engaging in this work is inspiring as well as challenging. It sometimes causes surges of enthusiasm to move through me, nudging me to take greater responsibility in becoming part of the change. At other times, I feel vulnerable, naive and complicit in witnessing the injustices that are embedded into the fabric of the society I have grown up in. I am humbled by the incredible and relentless work of individuals like Elonka Soros and Dr Mena Fombo who keep pushing forward for representation, for justice and who have centred their careers around educating, empowering and engaging people within the creative industries to actively make shifts towards a more equal playing field. I can see the potential through personal awareness and reflection to affect systemic change.

Thankfully, the CWFTF team have personnel and best practices in place to guide and support creative companies in the West of England in making positive change. The programme is designed to actively inject enthusiasm and greater diversity into the sector through a talented cohort of Creative Professionals who will take up work placements throughout this year. Stand + Stare will be offering a placement to one of these Creative Professionals and I’m excited to embark on this next phase of the programme, taking up the baton to be part of the change

Deb Hoy, Creative Producer