Work In Progress is back: a new series of training courses on anti-racism in the cultural sector

Following the success of the first series of training courses ‘Work In Progress’ in 2024, which resulted in the publication of an information guide, Africalia and RABKO (the Brussels Arts Network) are launching a new series of five training courses on combatting racism in the cultural sector. The first session in the series took place on February 20th at Cinema Nova in Brussels.

A new edition

At the end of 2024, RABKO presented ‘Work In Progress’, an inspiration guide for the fight against racism in the cultural sector. This toolkit, developed in collaboration with Africalia and full of testimonies, recommendations and concrete strategies, assists cultural workers in their efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable environment.

The fight against racism is a challenge that we face every day. That is why Africalia and RABKO are renewing their partnership and joining forces for a second cycle of training courses in Brussels. This new edition of ‘Work In Progress’ will delve deeper into the themes covered last year in order to better support cultural professionals. From February to June, Africalia and RABKO will offer 5 training courses on a variety of topics. We will organise exchanges between professionals from the sector and the academic world, particularly on audience inclusion, programming and governance.

After each session, we will compile the testimonies and recommendations from the training course in a new version of the ‘Work In Progress’ guide. This time in a new format: Africalia and RABKO are preparing a clear and accessible podcast that brings together all the most important takeaways from the cycle.

Introduction on social inequality in the arts

The first training course, an introductory session, took place on February 20th at Cinema Nova in Brussels. Carla Mascia, sociologist at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, presented the study ‘InequalArts’, which she is conducting together with Laurie Hanquinet. This study intends to shed light on the inequality mechanisms that influence access to and the sustainability of careers in the cultural sector, particularly within the performing arts in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

“InequalArts” aims to provide a clear picture, backed by figures, of the difficulties that can punctuate the professional trajectories of those who are at the heart of cultural life. The research focuses on the role of gender, ethnicity, social class and parenthood. Conducted between 2020 and 2024 and still being analyzed, it constitutes an essential resource for formulating concrete proposals for more inclusive institutional policies and practices.