The Kennedy Center in D.C. has unveiled new initiatives to support anti-racism within the institution.
The eight areas of work guiding its Social Impact initiatives are strategies through which the Kennedy Center aims to foster systemic anti-racism within the organization and across the performing arts, a news release said.
“Social Impact is fundamentally about who we are as the Nation’s Cultural Center and the change maker the arts can be in the world. While our plans to introduce future phases of our Social Impact initiatives have been in the works for over a year, current events have refocused and redoubled our efforts,” Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter said in a statement.
The center aims to nurture local culture leaders and arts-centered education systems through financial support, marketing, the use of its platforms and access to the REACH, the center’s newest addition.
It plans to use the REACH to help people and communities feel comfortable in public spaces again, through activities designed with physical distancing in mind, as well as a focus on anti-racist behavior.
There will also be a new music program led by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera that will expand and embrace equity and talent of diverse backgrounds.
And Arts Across America, another program, will showcase art from communities and regions that reflect issues of the pandemic and unrest.
It is also launching #BlackCultureMatters, where the center will “codesign programs and provide workshop space at the REACH for organizations and creatives that engage in anti-racist work.”
The Kennedy Center said it is also focusing on better self-evaluation as an organization, focusing on developing measuring tools, creating institutional accountability and exploring communication strategies.
Moreover, it is placing “additional focus on hiring practices, training, mentoring, and building inclusive culture through intentional actions and commitment.”
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