As a leading cultural organisation in Manchester and the UK’s only arts centre dedicated to offering best-practice in creative provision for children and families, and in light of recent events across the UK, we felt it was a good time to re-share our diversity manifesto.
Cultural organisations are often at the forefront of promoting inclusivity and diversity within our communities and in these difficult circumstances, although Z-arts can’t give direct support, we have done our best to share resources via a list below.
We particularly want to acknowledge our Black, Asian, and Ethnically Diverse friends, families and colleagues, freelancers, and staff members across our community.
We hope these links can put you in touch with networks, individuals, and communities who may be able to offer help and support.
We stand by those who have been impacted by the occurrences across the country.
Diversity at Z-arts
Our activities reflect our audiences, and we aim to represent all the different communities in our area. Z-arts is an antiracist organisation. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We practice inclusivity and accessibility and are learning how to embed trans-inclusivity across all we do. Z-arts is welcoming to all people who do not discriminate against others.
We acknowledge all protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 – including age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation recognising socio-economic status and class as a thread that intersects all of these.
As a learning organisation, Z-arts is always open to change.
You can read more about what diversity means to Z-arts here: https://www.z-arts.org/app/uploads/2023/06/Antiracism-and-Diversity-Manifesto.pdf
Helpful links:
- Kids of Colour create spaces for young people of colour aged 25 and under to explore ‘race’, identity, and culture, and to feel supported, validated, and celebrated. They advocate for young people and our communities, challenging racism and building collective resistance and solidarity.
- Organisations that can offer support: Welfare and Support Organisations | Arts Emergency (arts-emergency.org)
- Space to Connect: Support for Youth Workers – UK Youth
- Everyone deserves good mental health: Mental Health Foundation
- Shout Out UK free resource hub: A range of media and political literacy videos aimed at young people covering topics like mis/disinformation, how to avoid being manipulated, and human rights.
- Run, Hide, Tell: A draft guidance for large-scale emergency response that can be repurposed and used for discussions about how to stay safe.
- Talking with children about a major emergency – British Red Cross: A session plan to talk to children (5-11yrs or additional needs) about major emergencies.
- How can I support my child after a traumatic event? – Place2Be
- Young Minds: How to support your child with experience of racism
- Supporting young people to make more positive choices when it comes to knife crime and youth violence
