Inviting you in rather than calling you out! / André Fabien Francis (2024)

This urgent research delves into the systemic obstacles and intersectional barriers that Black male creatives face in the UK’s arts sector, using Ryan Calais Cameron’s For Black Boys (2021) as a case study. Employing Merton’s (1968) “Matthew Effect” as a framework, it examines how compounding advantages and historical inequities continue to limit opportunities for marginalised groups, particularly Black male creatives. Through an autoethnographic approach and qualitative methods—such as interviews, observations, and participation in workshops—this research exposes the ongoing impact of racial discrimination and colonial legacies, exemplified by events like the Windrush Scandal (Gentleman, 2020), on the careers and lives of these artists (Williams, 2020). This thesis proposes a reimagined arts sector where systemic barriers are dismantled, and inclusivity is facilitated through performative activism and interactive artistic spaces. By reconceptualising choreography as a tool for social engagement, the research explores alternative structures that challenge existing hierarchies and promote equal opportunities. These alternatives are demonstrated through the integration of gameplay and performance to create spaces that encourage dialogue and participation, positioning artistic practice as a catalyst for social justice. Ultimately, this work advocates for an arts sector that reveals existing inequalities and actively constructs pathways for marginalised voices to lead, innovate, and thrive in an inclusive creative landscape. Active participation is integral to this change, offering hope for a more equitable future. (Piper, 1991). This research aims to answer the following questions: How do Black male creatives navigate and experience career progression and social mobility in the creative industries compared to their non-Black counterparts? What roles do talent, networking opportunities, representation in leadership positions, and other factors such as race, class, and additional forms of discrimination play in shaping their pathways to success, and how does intersectionality either facilitate or hinder their professional advancement?