Black on Board - Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark

FAQs

What is Black on Board?

Black on Board is an existing programme developed by Olmec, an award-winning social enterprise that specialises in supporting people of colour into governance positions and delivering race equality audits and training. Black on Board - Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark is a bespoke pilot programme, building on the strengths of Black on Board and codesigned by Olmec and Southwark Council to meet the needs of aspiring arts trustees as well as to address the lack of racial diversity on arts boards in the borough.

Why was the Black on Board - Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark program set up?

The programme was set up as part of ‘Southwark Stands Together’, Southwark Council’s series of commitments to anti-racist change, which you can read more about on the council’s website here.

What are the aims of the programme?

The programme aims to support borough-based arts organisations to address the lack of people of colour on their boards, as well as to explore and begin to address the underlying reasons for predominantly white boards governing many arts organisations in our richly diverse borough.

Who is Black on Board - Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark for?

The programme is for any arts or cultural organisation based in Southwark that recognises that its board would be strengthened by being more representative of the borough in which it is based and wants to begin or continue a process of change towards more diverse and representative governance.

The programme is also for individual delegates who have already completed Olmec’s standard Black on Board training and who wish to engage in more in-depth training specifically tailored towards becoming a trustee in the arts and cultural sector.

Who are the Black on Board delegates and can I become one?

The Black on Board - Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark delegates have been recruited by Olmec from graduates of their previous Black on Board training programmes. They include people of colour with a range of professional experience, such as in local authorities or housing associations or from running their own businesses, who wish to join a board in the charitable and voluntary sector.

Individuals who are interested in undertaking Olmec’s Black on Board training can find out more on their website here.

What will the Black on Board - Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark programme offer my organisation?

This is a pilot programme during which participating arts organisations will be offered:

• recruitment of a trained Special Independent Director (SID) for your board who will initially serve on placement with your organisation for a year before you and they decide whether to proceed with their appointment as a longer-term trustee
• access to action learning and peer support training for your existing trustees and senior staff designed to develop good practice in organisational culture, policy and future trustee recruitment
• professional support from Olmec, an award-winning race equality organisation including access to a new set of networks, resources and further training opportunities to support your organisation on the transformation journey.

How much will it cost?

The programme is free for arts, culture and heritage organisations based in Southwark.

I already know someone from our local community who we would like to join our board and would benefit from the Black on Board training; can they participate as a delegate?

This first iteration of Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark is a pilot, funded through Southwark Council’s Southwark Stands Together programme. All delegates, who will be placed with organisations as SIDs and then potentially as trustees, have already been recruited by Olmec from their Black on Board graduates community. If there is an opportunity to repeat and/or extend the pilot in future years we would be interested to hear if organisations would like to nominate local individuals for the Black on Board training as a preliminary stage to a future iteration of the Diversifying Arts Boards in Southwark programme.

Page last updated: 01 September 2022