Multicultural Arts Victoria

Statement of Support for ECCV’s All One Together campaign

MAV is the leading organisation on cultural diversity in the arts. We have a profound commitment to arts and artists shaping the narratives that define who we are as a multicultural nation.

We make art as a visceral response to the forces of bigotry and intolerance, which seek to undermine the hard-fought battle for pluralism. We make art to understand who we are as migrants on Indigenous land. We make art to draw attention to the work that is still needed to future proof our identity as a society that deeply values its diversity.

MAV congratulates the ECCV on its campaign, All One Together, and are pleased to take on the role of campaign ambassador. As the peak cultural organisation representing diverse artists, we take seriously our responsibility to call out racism and discrimination where we find it. We work strategically across the arts to build alliances towards cultural equity. In particular, we are focused on the role that cultural transmission can play in shaping the beliefs and attitudes of Victorians.

Whether it is on our stages and screens, in radio or in print, we need the true narrative of our diversity to shine, and the pall cast by racism and discrimination extinguished. We are excited to join forces with ECCV in this endeavour. To that end, we commit to dedicating a number of key events in the coming year to anti racism activism.

We have a long way to go, before the diverse nature of our society is reflected in itscultural practices, institutions and leaders. However, if we get this right, there is no more powerful a vehicle for sustaining and growing our identity as a harmonious, pluralistic society than to amplify this message across the arts and creatives industries.