Equality

Tate Britain will keep a mural featuring racist imagery in its restaurant and commission an artistic response to the art work.

The decision arises following "deep disagreements" in consultations about what to do with the 1927 Rex Whistler mural, which depicts an enslaved Black child among other distressing images.

In 2020, the institution stopped describing its restaurant as "the most amusing room in Europe" amid complaints.

However, the mural is still a work of art and forms part of the eatery's Grade I listed interior, so it can't be removed.

The commissioned artist will be announced in the next few months. Their work will be "exhibited alongside and in dialogue with the mural, reframing the way the space is experienced" and accompanied by interpretative materials.

The UK's first museum dedicated to LGBTQ+ history and people will soon open in King's Cross.

Queer Britain aim to open a free-to-visit museum featuring four galleries, a workshop, gift shop and education space to the public in spring.

Trustees said they were pleased to have a location steeped in queer history and easily accessible to "all the community".

"Queer Britain aims to tell our many diverse histories, and now we have a home to do that from," Anjum Mouj said.

The collective has an initial two-year lease on the building, owned by Art Fund. It replaces outgoing tenants The House of Illustration, which moves to a larger space.

Disappointment was "inevitable" when the English Touring Opera (ETO) diversified its orchestra, its management says.

The organisation has offered a belated response to criticism from the Musicians' Union (MU) over its decision to cut 13 of its long-contracted freelance musicians in September.

ETO says open auditions were held for the first time in many years because the orchestra was exclusively made up of people who played on previous seasons or were recommended by them.

"We also felt that this would help us to progress our ambitions in the fields of equality, diversity and inclusivity in the workplace," a statement released on Wednesday (December 8) reads.

44 musicians were auditioned out of 266 applicants and selections were "based solely on those musicians’ capabilities, on the grounds of excellence only".

"With so many high-quality players in the pool it was inevitable that some would be disappointed," ETO said.

It plans to repeat the process next summer: "In advance of that, we plan to consult widely with other performing companies, and relevant industry organisations, including the MU, so that we can provide further reassurance of equal and fair treatment."