Day Four Journal Entry

Today we were given different perspectives on working in performing arts. on the ways people of colour are represented, or not on stage. David Blake enforced the place of mentoring and an approach to holistic performing arts education, including wellbeing and life-management skills. He spoke with integrity and humility – values that guide these ways of working.

Translation and sharing of language, collaboration and interpretation were strong themes that developed in Uzma Hameed’s conversation. She shared insights into her processes of collaboration and working cross-form, and how art can be a tool to help shape our identities. Uzma spoke honestly about seeing and voicing the issues women face in balancing the many contradictory but complementary roles of motherhood, career and self and how these roles have many transferable skills which are not always recognised or valued.

These issues of the systemic barriers faced by women, and Black, Asian and other members of the global majority have been raised in a provocative and thoughtful way, with new ideas for ameliorating them emerging.