Representation of Central, Eastern and Southeastern European (CESEE) artists in the arts spaces and festivals across England: decoloniality and divers

CEE migrants in the UK are subject to xeno-racism and complex forms of discrimination (Narkowicz, 2020; Sivanandan, 2008). Previous research has shown how xeno-racism impacts on the everyday lives of migrants from the region (Fox, Morosanu and Szilassy, 2012), on their experiences at school (Tereshchenko, Bradbury and Archer, 2019) and in the workplace (Samaluk, 2014; 2016), and - especially since Britain's departure from the EU - on their ability to negotiate the UK's border regime (de Noronha, 2018). However, very little is known about how this relates to cultural representation and the experiences of CEE migrant artists in the UK creative economies. It is widely recognised that diverse cultural representation is crucial to inclusion and community cohesion (e.g., Crossick and Kaszynska, 2016): understanding if and how CEE art and artists are represented in UK theatre, festivals and galleries is thus urgent and essential for those working against xenophobia and towards the integration of one of Britain's largest migrant communities.

The key research questions to be addressed in this CDA are:
- To what extent is CEE art represented in the UK's creative economies?
- What are the barriers to inclusion and representation of CEE art/artists?
- What are the implications of these findings for diversity measures and monitoring in the UK's creative economies and beyond?

Centrala and Jones recently conducted a small-scale collaborative project on this topic, focusing on the Midlands. This work demonstrated the Western bias in regional galleries and festivals and the struggles that CEE migrant artists face in terms of everyday xeno-racism (Jones, Centrala and Ceglarz, 2021). In order to fully understand these issues on a national level and explore the implications for how diversity is conceptualised in the creative economies, further research is needed. The CDA will fill that gap.

The PhD researcher will develop a mixed methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses of exhibitions and festivals, in-depth interviews and community surveys. The theoretical framework of the project will draw on critical whiteness theory (e.g. Botterill and Burell, 2018; Samaluk, 2014) and innovations that explore the connections between post-socialism and post-colonialism (e.g., Melegh, 2006; Profant, 2019). Central and Eastern Europeans occupy a space in-between, a semi-periphery in the Western European cultural imaginary, in which they are constructed as white, but "not quite", and European, but "on the margins" (Halej, 2015). An analysis of how these racial and civilizational hierarchies are reflected in the world of art and culture will make a significant contribution to rethinking how diversity is measured, monitored and performed.

The collaboration with Centrala brings key benefits to the research process through access to artist networks and funders (as potential research participants), advice on key institutions, support with the dissemination of surveys and reports, and insight into the everyday experiences of CEE migrant artists. The doctoral researcher will develop knowledge and skills in the management of a community arts organisation and the processes of using research to impact on policy.

Throughout the project, the researcher will be integrated into the Centrala team and involved in the day-to-day running of the organisation with a particular focus on the organisation of events for/with CEE artists and policy engagement. The supervision and mentoring of the student will be fully integrated into the workload of Centrala's Director, Alicja Kaczmarek.