Performance school demands diverse audiences for corporate gigs

A young people's performance school says it will no longer perform for corporate clients who can't ensure a diverse audience.

Aston Performing Arts Academy has provided entertainment at events and awards ceremonies in Birmingham over the past decade – often to a room in which all the guests are white.

Co-Director Tru Powell said online outrage that the company won't perform for "all-white" audiences was misplaced: "I never said that," he told ArtsProfessional. 

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"It was a very difficult decision because we knew it would be misconstrued, and we knew people would weaponise that and say it's reverse racism but it's not. We just want more representation."

The academy's performers notice the disparity: at a 500-person event, the only other Black people they counted were the wait staff.

"We're telling them to dream big and they can be all they want to be but then all they're seeing is Black people cleaning tables or performing as entertainment," Powell said.

He doesn't oppose other Black-led ensembles taking the bookings he won't – "I will go sit in that room" – and he isn't disparaging Black people who work in entertainment and hospitality.

But he said his students aren't necessarily pursuing those careers and need to be in spaces that don't make them feel "so small".

"We know we're going to lose clients over this, that some places won't be as welcoming as we would like, but the mental health of our young people is more important."

'Do more'

Good event organisers should be thinking about who's in the room, not just who's on stage, Powell said.

In a multicultural city like Birmingham, city events should be representative, "but they're only celebrating a certain section of the city".

Powell said there are Black business and professional associations in Birmingham – organisers just need to do more to engage them.

City leaders are encouraging: "[They say] 'we're here, we're listening, we're learning' but there's never any implementation; there's never any development we can see," Powell added.

"I'm sick of being the only Black person in the room and if I don't go there's no representation."

Gaining courage

Powell said it's taken 10 years to "pick up the courage" to take this stand.

Conversations began in earnest after the death of George Floyd. Aston's students are politically engaged and need the school to lead by example.

"We are appreciative of all the opportunities we have had but just because we're grateful doesn't mean we can't exercise our right to say what we don't like about these instances," Powell said.