The problem
- 39% of the UK workforce comes from lower socio-economic backgrounds (SEBs). In museums, libraries and archives, it is just 5.2%.
- People from low SEBs remain significantly underrepresented in leadership and decision-making roles.
- Low SEB lives, labour, culture and creativity remain underrepresented in what museums collect, research and interpretation.
- People from lower socio-economic backgrounds remain less likely to visit museums.
These inequalities are not inevitable. They are the result of decisions about who is welcomed, who is listened to, whose knowledge is valued and who has the power to shape the sector.
Our manifesto calls for change across the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector. It sets out practical actions to increase representation, redistribute power and ensure that working-class lives, cultures and creativity are valued across our workforce, leadership, collections, programming and audiences.
Together, we can build a sector that better reflects and serves the communities it exists for.
