** THIS SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED – WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS **
WGGB has commissioned Inc Arts to produce this ground-breaking new survey, written by ethnically diverse people, for ethnically diverse people, and the first of its kind in the UK to cover scriptwriting in film, gaming, radio, television and theatre.
The survey is your chance to get your voice heard and to inform a major report which will mark the next stage of our Equality Writes campaign.
This report will not tell one story – it will acknowledge and bring to light the multitude of experiences across the UK.
The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete (by doing so you’ll also have the chance of winning a £50 voucher for Not On The High Street).
All information entered is entirely anonymous and treated with care. All replies are strictly confidential. You always have the option to answer ‘Prefer not to say’ and skip a question. You can request a private phone or video call for support with completing the survey if the text format is not accessible to you. If you would like to organise this, please email research@incarts.uk
Inc Arts Minds will be offering weekly online drop-in spaces to support anyone who feels that, following the survey, they would benefit from a safe space to discuss their experiences.
The sessions are a group space with room for up to six attendees. The sessions are facilitated by trained psychotherapists with experiences of working with the effects of racial trauma and the impact of oppressive systems. While a group space can feel daunting, it can offer the chance to connect with others who share similar experiences and reduce the sense of isolation often felt when we’re positioned as a minority. If you would like to attend any of the drop-in spaces, dates and further information can be found here.
The survey and report is funded by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society.
Sumerah Srivastav and Sukey Fisher, Chairs of WGGB’s Equality and Diversity Committee, said:
“Ethnically diverse scriptwriters across the UK are severely under-represented – all the existing data points to this – and many of the stories played out on our screens, in our theatres, across the airwaves and in the gaming milieu therefore inevitably reflect an unacceptable inequality that must be challenged.
“This survey is your chance to rewrite this flawed narrative. Please, tell us about your experiences as storytellers – the good, the bad and the ugly. Now is the time to raise your voices and be heard so we can campaign on your behalf and effect meaningful change.”
WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers said:
“This ground-breaking survey, the first of its kind in the UK, marks the next step in our Equality Writes campaign.
“As a trade union with a long track record of championing equality and diversity, we know that there is much work to be done for all under-represented writers.
“We also know, from the report we commissioned into the under-representation of women screenwriters, that it is the stories and lived experiences of writers themselves that are the true drivers of change, so we would urge all ethnically diverse writers in the UK to join us in this vital next step of our campaign.”
Carol Russell, Advocacy Lead at Inc Arts UK, said:
“This survey marks a shift in the industry, one that we have not seen before. It is the first time that a survey has centred the experiences of ethnically diverse screenwriters across multiple sectors within the UK. It not only provides a place for screenwriters from ethnically diverse backgrounds to tell of their experiences, but it will provide data that is cohesive, in-depth, and representative of the multitudes of voices that will be surveyed. As an organisation at the forefront of representing the rights of ethnically diverse arts and cultural workers, we witness first-hand the barriers and struggles faced by scriptwriters in the UK. It is fantastic to collaborate with WGGB and ALCS on this survey that will give us real, tangible data that will centre the experiences of ethnically diverse screenwriters and begin to develop equitable, long-term change.”
Anand Bhatt, Chair of Inc Arts UK Board and Artistic Director and CEO of Dance City, said:
“This ground-breaking survey puts the voices of creatives at the heart of discussions around equitable change. It is unprecedented in its scale, in its detail, and crucially it is written by ethnically diverse people for ethnically diverse people. It also comes with support from mental health experts that puts care at the forefront of work that needs to be done. A collaborative project between Inc Arts UK, WGGB and ALCS, this survey will encompass the scale necessary to get a full perspective of how ethnically diverse scriptwriters experience their careers and give the industry the groundwork to make an equitable, intersectional future. I urge any scriptwriter from an ethnically diverse background to contribute to this survey.”
Barbara Hayes, ALCS Deputy Chief Executive, said:
“We want all kinds of stories to be told from all kinds of people. We want to see those stories in books, in short stories, in poetry, and on stage and screens across the country. The data tells us that ethnically diverse scriptwriters are too few and that’s something we want to change. We ask writers to tell us their story and contribute to this narrative so that we can do just that.”
