Cultural diversity in programming

A total of 75% of survey respondents in Sydney agree that diverse communities take part in nighttime culture, and 50% of respondents from marginalised groups agree.

A participant said programming and curation have moved away from the venues and towards collectives, because many venues are now run by hospitality groups. Another gave Oxford Art Factory as an example: the long-standing venue let the collective Debasa programme its 150-capacity sidebar.

An expert said the City of Sydney’s grants have a bit of “textbook” diversity, but rarely fund events that would be considered “bogan”, lowbrow or just popular.

Another expert said people from diverse backgrounds are often asked to curate only their own identity, when they might just want to put on an indie night. The expert proposed both identified programmes and mainstream opportunities for First Nations artists and promoters.