Black Lives Matter – if you’re asking yourself ‘why?’ it’s a sure sign you need to learn more about it.

We have a duty to amplify Black voices and share stories by people and organisations which work tirelessly to change attitudes and challenge racism.

A starting point for those in the arts is Ballet Black and their recent documentary on BBC4 where, CEO/Artistic Director, Cassa Pancho speaks about why, for 20 years, she’s been resiliently safeguarding a place and pathway for Black and Asian dancers, choreographers, and teachers in an artform which has a significant amount of reflection and action to take before fully understanding the need for diversity to be represented on and off the stage.

You can do more by supporting the work of organisations including Intercultural Youth Scotland, ROTA (Race on the Agenda), Hidayah – an organisation for LGBTQI+ Muslims, Access UK, and the Black Cultural Archives UK. This list is far from exhaustive, and we encourage you to do research of your own.

Listen to people of colour. Read works such as ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People’ by Reni Eddo-Lodge, ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo, and ‘White Fragility’ by Robin Diangelo.

And, crucially, be an active ally.