Lost work, increased racism, inequitable resource, burnout, questionable Diversity & Inclusion strategies, the risk of losing a generation of artists, gestures towards hope.

Today on the show we are talking about the impacts that the ongoing pandemic has had on the lives and wellbeing for First Nations artists and creatives of colour. We all know the arts have been hard hit all round - but what about for marginalised communities that were already experiencing uneven representation and opportunity in creative industries. Diversity Arts are publishing their second Lost Work report detailing all this and more, including whether global anti-racist movements like Black Lives Matter and #stopasianhate have led to meaningful industry shifts. The results are concerning and paints a picture of how oppressive practices continue to impact the lives and wellbeing of our creative communities.

We were joined by two artists who shared their experiences of the last few years: Wakka Wakka Kombumerri dancer Katina Olsen and Shyamla Eswaran, dancer and founder of south asian arts movement Bindi Bosses. We also chatted to Alexia Derbas, researcher and policy manager at Diversity Arts Australia, who helped us make sense of the findings.

This episode was hosted, produced and edited by Shareeka Helaluddin, with special guest Alexia Derbas, Katina Olsen and Shyamla Eswaran. Thank you to Sara Khan who helped conduct these interviews. Cover image: Shyamla Eswaran and Katina Olsen courtesy of the artists. 

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