Our goal at Actorium is to create an environment where people find, through the art of acting, access to their authentic selves. Our tagline is “the artistry of acting for everyone.” But, we live in a culture built on white supremacy. And, the business of acting is deeply embedded in this system. The business of acting almost always places a higher value on those who are white, cisgender and male.
If we ignore the the fact of systemic racism, if it is never addressed in our classroom, never spoken about or looked at, we will be paying no attention to something that deeply undermines the value of so many people.
In another art form, that of martial arts, to learn to fight at the highest levels, there are strict rules on behaviour. Seemingly in opposition to learning to fight, comes the demand for the deepest respect for, not only your opponent, but for the place that you train. But that has to be. Even in the art of fighting, if the highest respect is not paid, the best learning cannot happen. How much more so in the art of acting?
Whether it is white supremacy or any other intersection of oppression, we will openly face those conversations so that together we develop a culture of deep respect. We hope to live up to our tagline and impart the artistry of acting for everyone.