Applying Anti-Racist Frameworks in Government Agencies with Metro Arts Nashville
Daniel Singh, Sangeetha Ekambaram, Lydia Yousief, & Justin Laing
In mid-March, a legal debrief publicized by Daniel Singh, the Executive Director of Metro Arts Nashville was brought to the attention of GIA. The document outlined the ongoing battle between the arts council and the city’s government. When the Metro Council did not pass Metro Arts’ FY 2024 budget, they met to reassess their funding, during which the majority of the council supported their anticipated surplus of $2 million to be dedicated to Thrive artists. The Thrive program seeks to “connect artists and organizations with the community to create investments, cultural connections, and transformations,” and supports a significant number of artists of color. Five days following the Supreme Court’s decision barring affirmative action practices or considerations in university admissions, Metro Arts was challenged by Metro Legal that, “their actions violated the Equal Protection Clause, and, therefore, were unconstitutional,” as a result of the race-conscious data and discussion. This led to a revote which resulted in a decision to cut the already promised funding to Thrive program recipients.
Explore the two-part podcast, article, and additional resources including a legal debrief below.
Applying Anti-Racist Frameworks in Government Agencies Podcast Part 1 & 2
In this podcast, GIA program manager Jaime Sharp, spoke with Metro Arts Nashville Executive Director Daniel Singh, and two grantees, Lydia Yousief, Elmahaba Center, Director, and Sangeetha Ekambaram, Mutidisciplinary artist and Western classical singer. We explore how public funding can continue to center artists of color following the barring of affirmative action practices or considerations in university admissions, the importance of speaking up for your community and acknowledging artist labor, and how funders can hold themselves accountable and maintain awareness of their complicity.
Recorded on March 27, 2024
Reflections on antiracist experimentation in a Public Arts Agency: The challenge of radically interpreting systemic racism as production of racial capitalism
Daniel Singh of National Arts Nashville and Justin Laing of Hillombo, expand on these reflections in depth by surfacing the importance of centering BIPOC voices, radically interpreting work and the importance of making anti-racist commitments.
Read the full article here.
