Case Study: How do we create long-term workforce diversification in our organisations?

Organisations often talk about the lack of diversity in talent pipelines. MishMash Productions has found a way to do this in a way that moves beyond surface level tokenistic diversity, to getting to the root of the barriers for historically marginalised people. 

How do they do it? Liz Muge, the Director of the organisations explains.  

Diversification of the workforce is a key objective for organisations across the arts and cultural sector, not least within Classical Music. Historically people from ethnically diverse backgrounds and lower income families are significantly underrepresented in the sector, not to mention disabled people and those with long-term health conditions. As inclusion is at the heart of our creative work, we aspire as an organisation, to be equally as inclusive in our approach to workforce development, training and recruitment. Given the historical inequalities in the sector, the challenges of progressing through an infamously inaccessible and exclusive pipeline, and the range of skills we require from our workforce, finding performers who meet our requirements and also reflect our very diverse audiences is a hard task. 

Embedding EDI into long term business planning and identification of organisational needs 

To champion access, diversity and inclusion is one of our 4 overarching goals and threads throughout our strategic plan. Whilst our creative approach to making work has successfully attracted far more diversity in audiences than the mainstream concert hall offer, it relies on a specific skill set from our performers that further restricts recruitment in an already overwhelmingly white and middle-class pool. We have therefore developed an approach to workforce development that enables us to identify musicians from more ethnically and socio-economically diverse backgrounds and give them a foundation in our more audience focused approach to making work for young audiences rather, than looking for an ‘oven-ready’ model. 

Our intensive, residential training programme working with directors, musical directors, and mentor musicians provides a safe environment for musicians to explore their own performance practice and develop the skills we require at the same time helping us to identify musicians more reflective of our audiences who we can then continue to support with their own development.   

Removing exclusionary barriers to development 

Another barrier to inclusion, is that often developmental programmes and workshops are paid for by the participant, therefore perpetuating the exclusion of some groups of people. To combat that, our course is a paid opportunity for professional musicians who are properly reimbursed for their time and expenses, and hosted in a residential environment where the group can bond and support each other. The course is delivered by theatre and music professionals who not only deliver professional training but also provide creative and professional mentoring 1-to-1s to support the participants with their individual development. Information is gathered on the participants prior experiences, concerns and learning needs to create a nurturing environment conducive to professional and personal development. 

Impact on individuals 

Benjamin is one of our musicians identified through this pathway. He participated in a one-off workshop facilitated by the Chineke! Foundation in October 2021 before attending our intensive training project later that year; he has since joined our MishMash Ensemble and also participated in research and development for a potential new production; and will be travelling to Brazil in November 2023 to participate in the international YAMSession conference…

“MishMash Productions’ training has made a massive impact on my career as a freelance musician and teacher. Having grown up as a state-educated pupil, from a lower-income background, I had not received the same opportunities to explore the arts that many of my colleagues had access to from a young age.  

The training I received has allowed me to understand the range of opportunities available to me, broaden my skill set on stage (with guidance from expert movement directors), work with younger and SEN audiences, and consider the option of producing in my own career.  

The training course was offered as a fairly paid opportunity, which as a lower-income background freelance musician was necessary as I don’t have the financial freedom to turn down other paid work; or access multiple expensive courses to cover what was encapsulated in the 3-day intensive course. 

Most of all though, the accepting and welcoming atmosphere of the company allows me to not feel like a poster-child, allows me to feel comfortable talking about money and invoicing concerns and queries, and being employed on a recurring basis provides a comfort that is so rare in the freelancing scene. 

MishMash’s drive for growth and ED&I inclusion is amongst the best that I have ever seen, and still they’re always asking how they can do more. A rare indication that the industry maybe just will be alright.” Benjamin Garalnick 

Embedding systems and practices 

Whilst our progression route for musicians like Ben, is currently informal and dependent on the availability of other, externally funded, projects; we aspire to formalise this progression route to include: 

• A formal mentor/coaching programme for alumni from our training courses. 

• A funded commission opportunity to support individuals in developing their own creative ideas. 

• A commitment to include training course alumni in all new productions. 

Measuring impact 

We’re hoping that by extending this approach we can further the impact this work is already having:  

• Before 2021 our touring productions had featured only white, female, privately educated musicians. 

• By 2023 four out of five of our MishMash Ensemble musicians are alumni from our training programmes in 2021/22, four of the five are state-school educated and two of the five are from global majority backgrounds. 

Things for you to consider 

• To what extent have you explored the gaps in your provision and how these could be symbiotic with equity, diversity and inclusion strategy?

• To what extent have you identified the barriers to existing or future developmental opportunities which are designed to encourage diversity in your industry? 

• Have you captured the impact on individuals and groups of people? 

• How will you measure the impact of your initiatives against your objectives?