Month: June 2023

https://artslondon.sharepoint.com/sites/LCFTech/SitePages/Costume-fittings-and-etiquette.aspx

There are big differences between fashion and costume for performance that are often not considered even within UAL. Most notably, fashion designers find models that will fit the garment, where in costume, we make to measure the garment for the performer. Actors are hired to play a character and it is very common for productions to hire actors with disabilities for authenticity of the character. In the film Saving Private Ryan producer Mark Huffam has been quoted as saying that “we had somewhere between 20 and 30 amputees and paraplegics who worked with us, creating very realistic scenes where we could use effects to make it look like soldiers were losing limbs. Some might say it was an insensitive approach, but they all did it with great enthusiasm.” (2018)

We have had students find performers with disabilities and extra measures need to be considered that the students often overlook as it is not taught within the curriculum regarding fitting the costumes. A student did not inform us that their performer was in a wheelchair and the LCF costumes rooms in Lime Grove D Block are not wheelchair accessible. We managed to create a fitting area within the 3D effects room, which is on the ground floor, but this was not considered by the student before the day of the fitting. Accessibility to fitting areas, asking performers in advanced if they have any special requirements or requests, for example I have worked with ASD performers who do not like to be touched which can be complicated if you are not familiar with this and how to work around it. This is not limited to just performers with disabilities but also extends to performers who are Trans as well who may feel more comfortable with extra measures in place, particularly when getting undressed in front of the costume team, and students may not be familiar with garments such as binders and gaffs. It is common for performers to be transparent with the production team, but its important for students to understand that might not always be the case if the performer wishes for confidentiality. Preparing for any situation that can occur during a fitting and having the correct fitting etiquette can prevent any issues occurring.

It has been a plan of mine to create an LCF technical resource page on fitting etiquette for the performance students for a while to help them prepare for their fittings and creating this as my artefact felt right. The LCF tech pages were created during Covid and have now become a staple resource site for our students to refer to. I do not want to create a page solely on fitting performers with differences but create a page about fitting anyone and everyone to be inclusive. Creating a page that contains information on what kit to bring to fittings, having an assistant to help them, to gender neutral measurement sheets, accessibility to fitting areas for all performers regardless of ableism, disability, or gender. Understanding differences from fittings within the college compared to industry and linking to further information they can access on inclusive fittings. It is imperative for students to understand that treating all performers the same and being prepared for everything will help create a comfortable environment for the performer who may feel anxious and vulnerable in this space . It is also important that the LCF Tech page itself is accessible for all students too. Ensuring that the text is easily translatable, there are photos and where possible videos, to give students as many options to help with their own learning styles.

References

Lewis, R (2018) Saving Private Ryan’s harrowing 23-minute opening scene cost $12 million to make Available at https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/11/saving-private-ryans-harrowing-20-minute-opening-scene-cost-12-million-make-7701547/ (Accessed 25^th May 2023)

Josephine Kwhali’s talk on unconscious bias resonated with me. It posed the question: how we can still have unconscious bias in education after all this time in an environment full of educated and intelligent people? This led me to thinking about Critical race theory and its links to unconscious bias Listening to the podcast Critical Race Theory with David Gillborn: Staying Critical and Realistic (2020) better informed my understanding of critical race theory. It is a sizable and complex topic which I hadn’t encountered before the PG Cert. Gilborn (2020) explains that as a white person, it is ok to feel uneasy when discussing white supremacy and racism as the UK education system has failed to prepare us for thinking critically about these issues. Our educational system has, in fact, done the opposite and taught us how to fit into the racist system without thinking about it. Since many academics still struggle to recognise the deep-rooted systemic racism within the UK education system, it really is no wonder that these issues and unconscious biases will continue until it can be openly discussed and changed.

Both Kwhali’s and Gilborn’s work made me more deeply consider my own positionality, a topic that I’ve struggled to both internalise and analyse this term. I now understand that I have had a different upbringing than most of my peers within the university. I am a white working-class straight woman who was born and raised in an established multicultural East London in the 1980s. Poverty united people of different faiths and races rather than dividing us. When talking about contact hypothesis in A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity Theory, Intersectionality, and Empowerment, Hahn Tapper (2013) states “if individuals identifying with particular groups in conflict interact with one another in a positively structured environment, they have an opportunity to re-evaluate their relations with one another such that one-time enemies can become acquaintances or even allies” (p.g. 415) Smith (2010) explains “Historically east London has also been one of the key target areas for racist and fascist organisations. They have attempted to pit white workers against migrant workers. But this has always been matched by a rich history of resistance. East London is a place where local people have fought for black, white and Asian unity­ – and where people of different backgrounds have come together to fight the bosses.”

Most of my teachers through primary school and secondary school were other than white, something that was normal for me. I am only now starting to understand that my education was not the norm within the UK, and grasp how I would have benefited from this experience. The NUS Race for Equality, A report on the experiences of Black students in further and higher education (2011) states that ethnic diversity among staff is important for both Black and White students (pg 61). The work puts forward that positive role models, as well as a range of perspectives, can enrich learning and demonstrates an institution’s commitment to diversity. This report in mind, the University and colleges need to improve the diversity of their staff to better reflect the diversity of their student body. I was lucky as to have had ethnically and racially diverse educators and role models. However, learning about critical race theory highlighted to me that the content that I was taught through my educational history was not as inclusive as I once thought, as it was not designed by those who taught it.

Understanding the findings outlined in the NUS’s report (2011), it should be considered that staffing may be a contributing factor to student attainment and retention of students of colour within UAL. The universities Anti-racism action plan (2021) may have a target of employing 30% Black, Asian and minority ethnic within 3 years, but is this figure high enough? This may be a reasonable target for outside of London, but as 46.2% (2021) of London’s residents are other than white, we should be aiming higher?

Looking at the findings in Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design (2016) “31% of Black British Caribbean and Black British African students gain an upper degree in comparison to 64% of White students” (pg. 4) I believe that it would be informative for UAL to collect data on each course regarding ethnicity percentages for student applications, accepted offers and attainment throughout the course. This could then be used to comprehend the successes and failures across the board, and positive changes could then be implemented. As a technician, I am not involved in student interviews, designing units, and marking Nevertheless, anecdotally I have seen the course I teach on recruit diverse students who have been outstandingly successful. This leads me to question why other courses failing to retain students of colour? The BA Costume course encourages students to take a set text, then independently interpret this text to create a new concept. This freedom allows the students full creative control explore their interests within their own cultures, or the exploration of new cultures and identities. Is this why our course attainment is higher than others? This conceptual freedom was implemented before I studied the on course in 2006, and I’m I feel that it was a key contributing factor to the success of the course. As recommended in Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design (2016) “a more inclusive approach to the curriculum by identifying more diverse reading lists and key visual references and more inclusive pedagogies, review and/or audit the inclusion of embedded diversity and student-centred learning in the curriculum and create greater opportunities for students to have a sense of ownership over their environment” pg 19

Kwhali, J (2016) Witness Unconscious Bias. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6XDUGPoaFw&ab_channel=UCU-UniversityandCollegeUnion (Accessed 25th June 2023).

Gillborn, D (2020) Critical Race Theory with David Gillborn: Staying Critical and Realistic   (podcast) 27 July. Available at https://www.theantiracisteducator.com/podcast/episode/3dfcd3fc/critical-race-theory-with-david-gillborn-staying-critical-and-realistic-about-racism (Accessed: 25th June 2023)

Hahn Tapper, A.J. (2013) A pedagogy of social justice education: Social identity theory, intersectionality, and empowerment. Conflict Resolution
Quarterly, 30(4), pp.411-445 Available at: https://certainlycert.myblog-staging.arts.ac.uk/files/2017/04/A_Pedagogy_of_Social_Justice_Education_S.pdf (Accessed 25th June 2023)

Smith, M (2010) London’s radical East End, Available at (https://socialistworker.co.uk/features/london-s-radical-east-end/ (Accessed 30^th June 2023)

UAL (2021) Anti-racism action plan and a demanding target for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff representation, Available at https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/press-office/stories/Publishing-our-Anti-racism-action-plan-and-a-demanding-target-for-BAME-staff-representation (Accessed 25^th June 2023)

Gov.Uk (2022) Regional ethnic diversity, Available at  https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/uk-population-by-ethnicity/national-and-regional-populations/regional-ethnic-diversity/latest (Accessed 25^th June 2023)

Finnigan, T. and Richards, A., (2016) ‘Retention and attainment in the disciplines: art and design’. York: Higher Education Academy, Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/retention-and-attainment-disciplines-art-and-design (Accessed: 25^th June 2023)