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2020 was a year in which global politics radically shifted, catalyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Decolonizing the Theatre Space, now available on Drama Online, is a response to that year, asking was it a moment or is it a movement and what fundamental changes within the arts industry need to come out of this time?
The book includes 20 interviews with some of the most pioneering Black cultural leaders from a wide range of senior executive positions in the arts within the UK, US and Africa. It documents the sea of change in arts leadership post the height of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the pressure on organisations to confront and change their racial and ethnic make-up. It shines a light on the guiding ambitions, strategic plans and visions for the future to support the ongoing decolonization of arts organisations across the world.
Below we share a video of extracts from the book, followed by the Introduction and two further chapters so you can hear from those who have walked the walk and find inspiration for the future.
This book is available in our Critical Studies and Performance Practice collection here on Drama Online. Don’t yet have access? Please ask your librarian to contact us to arrange a free trial.
You may also be interested in buying the individual book in print or e-book formats.
Watch actors speaking extracts from the book. This film includes quotes by the following international Black arts leaders: Samora Bergtop, Stella Kanu, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Deborah Sawyerr, Robert Barry Fleming, Tim Bond, Sade Lythcott and Jonathan McCrory.
“The Mission was simple. To create the Ultimate Black Leadership Book. A book which spotlights the strong and ever-growing presence of Black leaders across the world to share the Black leadership experience, showcasing our innovation, tenacity and resilience against all odds.”
Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway
"Like so many of my peers, I’m driven by the desire to understand what more equitable, accessible and sustainable conditions for artistic leadership, creation and engagement can be; and I believe that means relying upon curiosity, honesty and imagination at every turn. Our dominant narratives and truths come at a cost, in that they often erase, constrain and alienate many of us. Therefore, cultivating conversations and sharing stories feels like the surest place from which to ground ourselves and grow in better, fuller ways, as we go about the messy, slow and uncomfortable work of decolonizing our spaces.”
Olivia Poglio-Nwabali, Editor
Read the Introduction in which Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Olivia Poglio-Nwabali discuss the need to uncover and create a legacy of wisdom from Black and Global Majority leaders in the arts.
“I think that you cannot be a black, disabled woman in our society, have aspiration and not feel imposter syndrome. There is a reflection in society that doesn’t, a lot of the time, include us. So, when we are driven to do things that are ambitious and start to move into other territories where we may not necessarily be represented, then, all sorts of insecurities crop up. It’s very personal how you choose to deal with it. But it gets less with age and experience. It’s only now, on the way out, that I can start believing that I actually have the right to be here, and I can create the future for the organization that I leave behind.”
Maria Oshodi CEO and Artistic Director, Extant, London
Read Overcoming imposter syndrome in which David Bryan, who has held senior roles with Battersea Arts Centre and the London Area Council of Arts Council England, speaks of the importance of allies. Hana Sharif, Artistic Director at Arena Stage in Washington DC and Former Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St Louis, and other senior leaders share how they manage, or have overcome, feelings self-doubt.
“This is our first virtual festival; this is probably the first time in Nigeria that there’s a virtual festival of this magnitude. We’re pulling long shifts, having sleepless nights, just to make sure that this thing is done well. So, what I do – which I encourage my team and the artists that I know to do – when the festival is over, I shut down everything. I sleep, eat and watch TV for two weeks. I literally don’t step out of my bed, because it’s very important to rejuvenate, to rest, to process what has just happened. I encourage my team to be aware of what is happening in their state of mind at the time when they’ve created something, so that everyone’s mental health remains on point.”
Lydia Idakula-Sobogun, Artistic Director, Lagos Theatre Festival
Read The importance of well-being in which Asiimwe Deborah Kawe, Artistic Director of the Kampala International Theatre Festival reflects on learning to speak to herself with kindness. Stella Kanu, Chief Executive Officer, Shakespeare’s Globe, London and Co-Chair of the Arts Council’s Race Advisory Group talks about the importance of setting healthy boundaries.
Visit our Previously Featured Content page to view other topics including Devising Theatre, Interpreting Shakespeare: Discover the First Folio, The Plays of Caryl Churchill, Women in Shakespeare, Drama without Borders: Stories of migrants and refugees, The Climate Crisis in Theatre, Black British Playwrights, and LGBTQ+ Playwrights.
