How arts and cultural districts can support diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations and neighborhoods

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

ABSTRACT Arts and cultural districts (ACDs) in the United States are geographically demarcated areas that concentrate arts and cultural production and consumption, often as part of a creative or cultural economy strategy. We know little about how these organizations handle issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their organizations, neighborhoods, and communities. In this article, we share the results of a national survey of ACDs about their work with regards to DEI. We find that, in general, organizations have prioritized and made more progress on implementing actions where they can pivot quickly, such as programming, rather than longer-term actions like building a more inclusive membership base or diversifying the volunteer population. However, respondents’ answers were mixed on how often they evaluated their own efforts, and the findings suggest a need for continued work—both in research and practice—to understand and advance DEI within arts and cultural districts.