Things are still a mess at the Metro Arts Commission. Metro Arts launches initiative to 'return land, money, and resources' to 'Indigenous, African, and Asian peoples'

 By Rod Williams, Jan. 23, 2024- Things have been a mess at the Metro Arts Commission for years now. To say the Metro Arts Commission is dysfunctional is an understatement. Back in 2016 the agency underwent a change to promote equity and to engage in more "micro-funding opportunities, education programs and neighborhood-specific initiatives." Prior the agency had focused on funding a handful of high profile established organization such as Children's Theater, Frist, the symphony, ballet and a few others. These were too white for modern liberal sensibilities. Turmoil followed the change in focus.

While the agency has this public face as engaging in social justice work, there were internal divisions and lawsuits and allegations of racism and sexism. The agency established an Antiracism Transformation Team to hold “the agency accountable in becoming fully antiracist in its identity and working for equity in all policies and practices with the goal of dismantling all systems of oppression within the arts ecosystem.” The agency also hired an outside organization, "Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training group," to help them overcome their racist past and transition to an anti-racist future.  This September 2021 article in the Scene tells the background and status of the Commission as of that time. Of course, reading anything in the Scene one has to filter out the snarky, woke, elitist tone of the Scene to get to the meat of the story. 

Bringing things forward and they are still a mess, and the organization continues to hire consultants to tell them how to be anti-racist. Grants are not being distributed and about half the seats on the Commission are vacant. The Pamphleteer breaks it all down and explains what's going on.  Read the full article at this link. 

Decolonizing the Arts

The Pamphleteer, Jan. 23, 2024 - ..... Since Daniel Singh was appointed Executive Director of Metro Arts two summers ago, controversy and dysfunction have reigned supreme. Not only is the organization’s fifteen-member commission short seven members after a spate of resignations, but the city is also conducting an audit of its financial management after it failed to fully pay out the operating grants it was designed to administer. Much of the chaos has arisen from Singh’s efforts to introduce a “more equitable funding model.”

A presentation circulated internally to staff and members of the Metro Arts Commission reveals that a radical agenda has taken hold at the beleaguered office. Authored in collaboration with Justin Laing of Hillombo Consulting and titled “What Could An Anti Racist Cultural Planning Process Look Like,” the presentation outlines a vision advocating the organization’s adoption of “antiracist planning” to create “antiracist outcomes.” (continue reading)

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