Making the Cultural Sector More Accessible from the Bottom Up

The job structure within the national cultural sector is broken. According to a 2015 report by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, only 28% of art museum employees are people of color, despite being 38% of the population. While more and more museums are instituting Diversity & Inclusion strategies in their hiring practices, these strategies rarely include disabled people, who face double the unemployment rate of abled people.

Leaving people of color, disabled people, and other marginalized groups out of the workplace presents a staff that does not reflect the demographics of the American population. Furthermore, having employees from marginalized groups helps to make the larger institution more accessible to visitors from those groups, who are often underserved in the cultural sector.

However, structural barriers often prevent people of color, low-income people, and disabled people from working in the cultural sector. One of the largest barriers is that most workplaces will expect candidates to have previous experience, which typically comes in the form of internships. These internships are largely unpaid, which excludes those without the savings or additional income to have a nonpaying job. Additionally, unconscious bias typically leads hiring managers to lean towards white, abled, and higher-class candidates.

"Tony Heaton, chief executive of disability arts charity Shape, said: 'Did we become side-tracked thinking that disability is just about physical access? The barriers have become more subtle. It’s not just about providing ramps and disabled toilets, it’s about changing practice.'"

Art-Reach is an organization within Philadelphia working to remove barriers of visitation for low-income and disabled people. Last year, they reached 160,000 people, offering discounted admission to museums for PA ACCESS card holders, discounted or free tickets to live performances, accessible cultural programs, and information about resources and accessible venues throughout the city.

They offer internships throughout the year, but despite saying that interns "are essential to [their] day-to-day operations," Art-Reach interns are unpaid. Thus, the communities that Art-Reach serves are much less likely to be able to apply for internships and get their foot in the door of the cultural sector.

Interns typically work for 16 hours a week for four weeks, or around 256 hours total. A $10,000 grant could fund stipends for four interns, which comes to a pay of about $9.75 an hour. These interns could work at the same time or be spread across multiple semesters; additionally, other funders could be found to match this gift in upcoming years, to make their impact last even longer. These internships would be reserved for students from low-income families and disabled students, and particularly those who want a career in the cultural sector. This would ensure that the voices of Art-Reach's target audience are being heard behind-the-scenes.

Each intern, as part of their application, could propose a particular project or program that they would institute during their time at Art-Reach. These projects or programs would directly reflect their own experiences participating (or trying to participate) within Philadelphia's cultural sector. This might include expanding Art-Reach's list of member organizations, offering an accessibility resource that previously was not offered, or encouraging organizations to better comply with ADA guidelines.

Additionally, interns could begin building a professional network with member organizations, which will also help them later in their careers.
Quotation and image courtesy of Art-Reach.

After their internships, these students would be able to take what they've learned from Art-Reach and apply it to the larger cultural sector, ultimately having a larger impact than just on Art-Reach. Furthermore, the simple presence of marginalized groups increases access within itself: people are more likely to visit a cultural institution and feel comfortable or welcome there if they see themselves reflected among the staff.

Organizations like Art-Reach cannot work towards increasing accessibility to underserved populations without hearing their voices. The job market and application expectations within the cultural sector systematically excludes people of color, low-income people, and disabled people, particularly through the commonality of unpaid internships. By funding stipends for paid internships specifically geared towards students from these populations, Art-Reach would ensure they're hearing the voices of those they're serving — and they would ensure that the interns have a greater chance of continuing to work within the cultural sector, improving accessibility on a larger scale.

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