Description

The Arts Britain Ignores at 50 marks half a century since Naseem Khan’s landmark 1976 report that challenged Britain’s cultural institutions to recognise the artistic contributions of Black and Asian communities. Fifty years later, this publication asks a vital question: how far have we really come?

Bringing together leading artists, academics, cultural leaders and policy makers, these essays reflect on five decades of progress, resistance and transformation. They examine the policies, organisations, movements and individuals that have reshaped Britain’s cultural landscape, while confronting the inequalities that continue to define access, investment, leadership and representation.

At the heart of this publication is the most comprehensive timeline to date of Black and Asian arts organisations in England from 1976 to 2026. Charting fifty years of artistic development, institution building, cultural activism and creative leadership across theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature, film, photography and heritage, the timeline provides an unprecedented historical record of the growth, resilience and impact of the sector. It reveals not only what has survived and flourished, but also what has been overlooked, lost or forgotten offering an essential resource for future researchers, practitioners and policy makers.

More than a commemoration, The Arts Britain Ignores at 50 is both a celebration and a challenge. It documents the extraordinary achievements of Black and Asian artists and organisations over the past five decades, while calling for a cultural future in which equity, historical truth and artistic excellence are no longer viewed as exceptional, but as fundamental to Britain’s national story.