I AM proud that my union, Artists Union England, as one of the newest and youngest unions, has a strong track record in tackling and standing up to racism and for race equality with black representatives in leadership positions in it. 

I use the term black throughout this article in its broadest political sense to encompass those from the African and Asian diasporas which we use in the trade-union movement including both of my unions, AUE and PCS and at TUC level where we hold an annual black workers’ conference.

We recognise the importance of race equality, not least because black people experience institutional racism in the arts and culture sector.