Anti-Racism in Creative Education
As someone working in creative education, these resources made me think more deeply about the performative aspects of institutional DEI work, especially within the creative sector. I’ve seen how students and staff of colour often carry the burden of “diversity work” without meaningful structural support. Anti-racism isn’t a workshop, it’s a sustained, relational, and policy-driven effort. It must start with uncomfortable questions about who benefits from the current system and who doesn’t.
The resources prompted me to think more critically about institutional DEI work, which too often feels performative; tokenistic hires and box-ticking that lack real support. Garrett (2024) observes that “the imagined futures of racialised individuals in academia are often limited not by capability, but by the structures surrounding them.” Without mentorship, policy change, or true inclusion, representation risks reinforcing the very hierarchies it seeks to disrupt. Similarly, Ahmed (2012) describes diversity work as “non-performative,” where diversity is declared but not enacted. She writes, “the work you do when you do the work is often the work of trying to get others to recognise that there is work to be done” a dynamic I’ve seen in how the burden often falls on marginalised staff and students.
In my context, anti-racism must move beyond good intentions and engage with material conditions – who is represented, supported, and validated. As Sadiq (2023) argues, DEI must be done with people, not to them, which requires co-creation, discomfort, and a willingness to shift power, not just language.
My positionality in this conversation is layered. I haven’t been the target of racism, but I have experienced being positioned as the oppressor, particularly within discussions around whiteness and power in academic contexts. That perception can feel uncomfortable, especially when it’s at odds with my intentions, values, and the kind of educator I strive to be. Still, I recognise that discomfort is part of the work. Being seen through the lens of structural privilege, whether or not it reflects my personal story, forces me to reckon with the systems I’m part of, and how I may benefit from them, even unintentionally. It reminds me that anti-racism isn’t about centring my experience or being defensive, but about staying open, accountable, and actively engaged in change.
These texts challenge me to ask: what would it look like to embed anti-racism at the core of a creative programme, not as an add-on but as foundational? It would mean recognising that dress, identity, aesthetics, and authorship are all politicised and that students need more than encouragement to express themselves; they need institutional cultures that support, protect, and value those expressions.
Ultimately, meaningful approaches to anti-racism in education must be structural, sustained, and willing to interrogate the very foundations of how we teach, assess, and relate to one another. For me, a key takeaway is that anti-racism requires discomfort and accountability. It demands we ask hard questions: Who holds power? Who is protected by the current system? And who is expected to change, adapt, or remain silent? In creative education, where identity and expression are so central, we need to be vigilant about how systems of oppression show up especially when they’re dressed in the language of progress.
References
Ahmed, S. (2012).“On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life”. Duke University Press.
Bradbury, A. (2020). “A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England”. Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2), 241–260.
Garrett, R. (2024). “Racism shapes careers: Career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education”. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 1–15.
Sadiq, A. (2023). “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Learning how to get it right” \[TEDx Talk]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw) Accessed 29/05
Romany, I enjoyed your considered response to the anti-racism. It is good to be challenged and to reflect on one’s positionally, and the privileges that may come with that. Your post eloquently speaks of vulnerability, of acknowledging positions of power, yet striving to be part of the change, as opposed to being defensive.
Thanks Danny, I’m trying to stay open and accountable, it’s not always easy, but I think that’s part of the work.
Romany, thanks for your post, it is very thoughtful. I agree that to make progress with Anti-Racism hard conversations need to be had, it is the easier option or sometimes the default for silence or a lack of acknowledgment of race to take president over uncomfortable conversations. But as you state we must be willing to integrate this into our practice to enable sustainable positive change. I think your personal reflection is very considered and shows understanding of how to approach building spaces that are empathetic, safe and aware.
Thank you so much Ellie, I really appreciate your kind words. It’s encouraging to know that holding space for discomfort and dialogue feels like a shared commitment.
Romany, this post was thoughtful and thorough. I especially was drawn to your points about how diversity work is being done to people, and not built collaboratively with those effected. I think this is especially true with the document we looked at in class, as if by fixing some key points, racism would no longer exist in the institution, but the roots of it seem much deeper. Needing to take accountability for being part of an oppressive regime is certainly important, but also difficult, and I can relate to that as well. I wonder how you dealt with it? I think I still lean toward defensiveness, but I suppose it’s about also understanding the intersecting privileges that we each hold. Anyway, thank you for the provocative questions as well.
Thanks for this Christin, I really relate to what you said about defensiveness. I’m definitely still figuring it out too, but I’ve found sitting with discomfort (instead of trying to fix or justify things right away) can be part of the work. It’s messy, but maybe that’s the point?