This year Black Artists Alliance (BAA) celebrates twenty years of representing and promoting black artists, arts and culture.
BAA was established in the North West in 1985 by a small group of committed Black artists and performers, and cites among its principle aims the need to, ‘Address the disenfranchisement, misrepresentation, and marginalisation of Black art and culture.’ BAA uses the term ‘black’ to include artists of African, Asian, Caribbean and indigenous American descent. In taking this broad based approach to diversity BAA shows it is keeping up with the zeitgeist and recognises that the UK’s cultural make-up has evolved considerably since it began.
As the largest network of Black artists in the UK, BAA works hard to keep organisations and individuals talking about the issues affecting them. Last month it held a closed discussion forum entitled ‘Let the Talking Consider Us’ as an opportunity for Black artists, managers and administrators to learn from and converse with speakers who could fill them in on the nature of discussions about Black arts taking place behind the closed doors of some of the major UK arts organisations. In its promotional flyer BAA said it has ‘grown tired of being the topic and invites you to join with us in conversation with the people who really know what is behind all the paper work.’
As cultural director of BAA, SuAndi exhibits a palpable sense of frustration that the solutions to the issues affecting Black arts have not moved further forward. Although she praises the efforts undertaken by the Arts Council (which supports BAA), particularly in their encouragement for other organisations to instigate positive action initiatives, SuAndi says that the advancements that have been made for the cause of Black artists have been few. “The struggle for Black arts remains much the same,” she said. This is reminiscent of a speech made by Catherine Ugwu, then Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, at the Re-inventing Britain conference in 1997, in which she said: “Black practitioners and artists whose work is of a politicised nature often find it hard to be funded, represented and presented and we must endeavour to expose the institutionalised racism of dominant art institutions and support structures, question their authority to determine meaning and challenge established and accepted notions of art history and theory to expose its exclusionary and incomplete nature.”
But if the powers that be are sometimes racist, getting them to listen to your point of view is never going to be easy. SuAndi says that the main obstacle in the way of Black artists developing their careers is being patronised by their peers. ‘There is still a perception that the Black artist is lacking in skills and ability,’ she says.
BAA has tried to address this issue by hosting Black History Month, held throughout October, and Acts of Achievement. Both initiatives seek to raise the profile of both BAA and Black artists and their work. SuAndi recognises that Black History Month has grown significantly with the support of major regional venues that are also committed to presenting quality Black work that tells a history of truth. Black History Month has also attracted some unexpected sources of advertising, including the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) which was listed as a partner for Black History Month on its website. However, SuAndi points out that the GMP were not partners and that they simply saw the potential to advertise in the brochure. “Without funding AoA has to seek alternative sources of income,” she says, “The police are part of society, we cannot pretend they don’t exist.”
SuAndi laments that without a substantial increase in core funding support “so that we can finally employ a staff team to enable the organisation to expand and build on its successes” it will be very hard for BAA to build on its successes and provide the strategic service and support that it would ideally like to be able to offer its members. Whilst BAA does run courses, workshops, and occasional seminars such as ‘Let the Talking Consider Us’ the main strength of the organisation lies in the mostly informal forums and meetings that take place ad hoc between members.
Unfortunately this creative networking opportunity has come at the cost, or rather the loss, of one of the regions most creative talents. Having devoted a substantial part of her time to running BAA for several years, SuAndi suspects the organisation needs fresh blood to revitalise its mission. She had hoped to return to nearly full-time engagement in her arts practice but, having found someone who could meet the challenge of running the organisation, the handover of responsibility for BAA was terminated at the last minute. “The staff member left to work for an organisation with more core income which meant they could earn a better salary. You can’t blame them for that,” she says. But the situation is made frustrating by the fact that SuAndi has just been awarded a NESTA Dreamtime Fellowship.
It seems fair to say that when a vital arts organisation can only exist at the expense of a vital artists career, then the situation demands attention. SuAndi is clearly keen to return to her creative pursuits whilst continuing to be “an ambassador for the organisation.” You would think that after twenty years in the game BAA would be able to attract the necessary funding to allow it to recruit and retain high calibre staff with the ability to grow the organisation. But after speaking with SuAndi an element of world weariness is unavoidable, the solution to the problems faced by organisations like BAA seemingly insurmountable.
“We celebrate the fact that we are still here 20 years on,” she says, “Who knows what the hidden agenda has in store for BAA when you consider what has happened to other strong Black organizations.” Still, SuAndi remains defiant and committed to the cause. “we have not as yet lost our determination, it remains strong. All Black art is political, art should never simply conform with society.” Amandla!
