Diversity Arts Australia aim to help improve the representation, participation and employment of Cultural and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) women in the arts and creative industries. The Women in Arts Vital Employment Program will provide job readiness and employment pathways for 100 CaLD women seeking entry/re-entry to arts sector employment in Australia.
Requested Amount: $50,000 from a total project cost of $104,000
100 Women funds have been requested to contribute to paid mentors, educators, trainers, project administration, venue and equipment hire, First Nations presenters, accessibility needs (e.g. Auslan, captioning etc), marketing and project related travel.
Who is the organisation and what is their mission?
Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) is a national voice for cultural and racial equity in arts and creative sectors, rooted in the belief that diverse creative expression is essential for an inclusive and sustainable sector and society. DARTS strives for a sector that reflects Australia’s diversity: on screens, stages, in audiences, galleries, books and leadership.
DARTS is led by cultural and linguistically diverse (CaLD) artists and cultural workers, predominantly females with lived experience of the barriers faced by their target cohorts, at both the staff and Board level. Their core team includes people with lived experience and expertise in Disability, ensuring awareness and support for participants with diverse needs, and they collaborate closely with First Nations organisations, ensuring Indigenous voices are considered and integrated across the programming.
What is the project that the 100 Women grant will support?
The Women in Arts Vital Employment (WAVE) Program aims to address isolation, lack of cultural safety, and underrepresentation of women from CaLD/migrant/refugee backgrounds, in the Arts/Creative sectors.
The program will provide job readiness and employment pathways for CaLD women seeking entry/re-entry to sector employment in Australia, empowering participants to retain stable employment and progress their careers, improving economic outcomes and flow-on effects for themselves, their families, their communities, and the sector. The Program will reach 100 female artists/creatives from CaLD, migrant and refugee backgrounds, via two intakes (one per year).
Core participants from Sydney (8 per intake, 16 in total) will participate in:
- Group training sessions: application and interview techniques, CV development, LinkedIn optimisation, time management, sector insights, workplace conflict management, communications and confidence building.
- Group Masterclasses: led by industry professionals and potential employers to introduce areas of work and provide insights and inspiration.
- Group Industry Event: for exposure and access to influential networks and people.
- Cluster Mentoring Sessions: participants will be matched to mentors for support, self-reflection, strategic thinking, overcoming personal limits, developing positive mindsets and sector insights.
An additional 84 participants from across the country (42 per intake) will have access to the four group masterclasses (in person and online) led by industry professionals and potential employers.
Who is the project for? Who else will benefit?
DARTS will utilise its culturally diverse Western Sydney base to engage with Australia’s CALD/refugee/migrant population to recruit 16 participants to the core program. An additional 84 women will participate in Group Masterclasses. A further 150 people are expected to indirectly benefit through the ripple effect and changing the representation across the arts/creative sectors.
Why is the project needed?
Representation of female voices in arts/creative organisations, exhibitions and performances is essential in creating significant sustainable change for women and girls.
CaLD women in the Arts/Cultural sectors face barriers including irregular work, English as a second language, unrecognised credentials (particularly for refugees), carer responsibilities, lack of industry contacts, access and knowledge, gender and racial discrimination and lack of cultural safety.
What are the planned outcomes for the project?
The WAVE Program is expected to deliver positive changes in:
- self-evaluated perceptions of employment preparedness
- industry-knowledge and confidence
- workforce participation and employment.
A social return on investment will be determined via participant career trajectories, mapped over time and industry data regarding gender inclusion and perceived/actual barriers to participation for CaLD females.
