Bristol’s new social enterprise, Rising Arts Agency, asks ‘Whose Culture?’

Rising Arts Agency has been championing diverse participation in creative practices, staffing and leadership across Bristol for the past two years, by providing 16-25 year-olds with professional mentoring, leadership training, commissioning opportunities and platforms to showcase work.

“I have been working in Bristol’s creative sector for almost 30 years now, taking on commissions and projects that have positively supported young creative talent for most of the sector’s big players including Arnolfini, Watershed, Knowle West Media Centre and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

I am an experienced project manager, facilitator, and evaluator, but also a provocateur, not afraid to ask challenging questions while fighting for young people’s empowerment and inclusion. Bristol is a city where 16 per cent of the residents are BAME, yet the creative sector – a key area of income generation for the city – is still predominantly white. There is wide acknowledgement that something needs to change – and that’s where Rising comes in!

Over time I’ve gathered a community of young artists and creatives around me, many of who have struggled to get support for their creative practice and professional development. In 2015, with encouragement from many of them providing me with the enthusiasm and drive to branch out, I decided it was time to co-create a unique space for young artists to have a voice, be seen, get paid and develop their careers. This was the beginning of Rising.

The agency has run for almost 2 years now, during which time I’ve invested a huge amount personally and relied on voluntary support from others who have believed in my vision. But this year change is coming. We have appointed a new youth board, developed a 10-year plan, received 2 year funding from the Arts Council for organisational development, and have a clear focus for our work moving forwards.

Competing against many of the city’s established arts organisations we are delighted to have been recognised by Bristol City Council who awarded significant funding from the Cultural Investment Programme to develop the project ‘Whose Culture?’.

“My culture is definitely online, when it comes to culture in Bristol I don’t feel part of it.” ‘Whose Culture?’ pilot workshop participant.

‘Whose Culture?’ is an initiative that’s trying to find out more about the young people we know least about in the city. Focusing on young people of colour the project sets out to explore what ‘culture’ means to them. We’re not just mapping how many of these young people visit museums and galleries – we’re interested in all cultural activity that they’re involved in taking place in communities, whether it’s in public spaces or in bedrooms, local parks or libraries. In the long term, we hope to develop some innovative tech that showcases how young people are getting involved with Bristol culture, encourages them to do more, and rewards them for it.

“I hope that I will be part of ‘culture’ that goes beyond boundaries of place and space, and instead makes me feel included through creativity and the drive to create change.” ‘Whose Culture?’ pilot workshop participant.

And our longer term ambitions for the project? ‘Whose Culture?’ will: create new paid work opportunities for young people within the creative sector; engage in key communities with a diverse population, high deprivation and low cultural engagement; gather data about the cultural engagement of BAME communities as audience, producers and staff; provide valuable insights into communities who often feel unseen and unheard for Bristol’s residents, the city council and the cultural sector.

So what next? If you’re interested to get involved in the project – as a steering group member, workshop leader, project coordinator or evaluator – or would just like to find out more then I’d love to hear from you.”

E: Kamina@rising.org.uk

M: 07517 437481