BIPOC Creative Association:
The BIPOC Creative Association looks to reclaim Black and Indigenous voices. They seek to empower talented creatives and take back their spaces within the Arts and Culture industry in British Columbia. Together, the BIPOC Creative Association marks the beginning of reform for Black and Indigenous creatives. Through advocating for representation and the equal and ethical distribution of wealth, the BIPOC Creative Association will work together to create opportunities and spaces for BIPOC creatives to come together. They seek to bring communities to the forefront of the Arts and Culture industry in British Columbia, an industry in which historically and systemically face marginalization.
Racism is inclusive of the body, cultural, psychological, and institutional impacts its conditioning of the human mind and experience. Representation of Black and Indigenous creatives and leadership is excluded from a seat at the table. As an industry, they have to work to unpack and understand the machinery that continues to benefit from the richness of our artistry, while simultaneously removing themselves from the forefront of creative progress. Within the context of Vancouver, Black and Indigenous artists are systematically disenfranchised voices within Vancouver Arts and Culture.
The BIPOC Creative Association is a newly formed organization. Culture Day, their first event on July 1st 2020, brought together members of communities in a celebration and protest. Moving forward, they aim to continue with organizing events, ensuring that artists are being paid fairly for their work, gaining exposure, and having a place to gather and create connections. Furthermore, they aim to expand to have a physical space for artists to come together. Safe studio and gathering spaces for Black and Indigenous artists have all but disappeared, they will work to bring back these spaces so our artists can excel together in community.
Student Opportunity:
This student engagement opportunity will be undertaken by a team of 3-4 BIPOC students who will spend 4-6 hours each week during the months of October and November 2020 on PHASE I of the following critical participatory action research (CPAR) project. Participatory action research has the dual purpose of undertaking an in-depth analysis or study and then purposefully working towards transformative change on the identified issue. This CPAR process will be further guided by a decolonizing lens that prioritizes an ethical framework that foregrounds BIPOC ways of knowing. Through this CPAR project, BIPOC-CA seeks to understand and act upon the following questions:
The purpose of this research study is to:
- Explore the interconnection and lived experience of physical and psychological safety for BIPOC Creatives pre and during COVID-19.
- Increase awareness and understanding of BIPOC Creatives unique lived experiences practicing in the Vancouver Arts and Culture sector;
- Empower entrepreneurial and leadership of BIPOC Creatives through healing workshops based on the input of our community gathered through the CPAR study.
- Identify, name and advocate for transformative changes necessary to address systemic racism and discrimination in the sector, in part, through the collection of race based participatory data.
Expectations:
- Attending weekly ORICE facilitated sessions.
- Maintaining frequent communication with BIPOC-CA and taking leadership from the organization research coordinator.
- Collaborating with team members to create and follow through on a work plan, milestones, and outputs
Key responsibilities:
- Conduct a literature review to help inform further phases of the CPAR study.
- Conduct a review (environmental scan) of the cultural fabric in Vancouver e.g. number of BIPOC creative featured in commercial galleries, creative pockets etc.
- Design and pilot participatory tools for community based research.
- Identify and support grant writing for funds that will help to further the vision of BIPOC-CA as it relates to the mission of the organization and research being undertaken.
- Provide a final report detailing work completed in the study to date with recommendations for subsequent phases of the CPAR studyNote: This is an unpaid, research opportunity
Involvement dates:
October 1 2020 – December 5, 2020*
OR October 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021
*Students able to commit to both terms are preferred to maintain continuity in the development of the study but students available will still be considered.
Ethics of Engagement:
UBC ORICE is committed to embedding anti-oppression and social justice in our daily work and ongoing projects. Students are encouraged and expected to consider how they can apply an anti-oppression and social justice lens when producing and or using the developed content through ORICE, as well as utilize connections between community-based organizations, academics, and government. This might include, but is not limited to, ensuring the incorporation of the ongoing and often unrecognized work of organizations advocating for justice for minorities, particularly during the pandemic; or engaging with the politics of citation in including and citing the work of non-white scholars and other researchers.
Eligibility:
- Open to all BIPOC UBC undergraduate (with 60 credits by September 2020) and graduate students (domestic or international). Recent graduates are welcome to apply but priority will be given to current UBC students.
- Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers and attend all meetings remotely;
- Demonstrate ability to think critically and creatively
- Prior knowledge about or interest in the creative sector.
- Prior experience or interest in critical participatory action research or participatory projects.
Timeline
- Successful short-listed candidates contacted by: September 23, 2020
- Short interviews: September 24-28, 2020
- Offers sent by: September 29, 2020
- Project dates: October 1, 2020 – December 4, 2020OR October 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021
How to apply
Thank you for your interest. We are no longer accepting applications.
Deadline: September 20, 2020 @ 11.59pm PST