An Introduction to Aisha’s Blog
At NCACE, we believe that cultural knowledge exchange should model equity, fairness and care in action. In a moment where public discourse can feel polarised, our work is rooted in creating spaces where diverse voices and lived experiences are welcomed, valued and platformed.
We are delighted to publish this blog by Aisha Richards, founder and director of Shades of Noir as an important call to action. We support the call to move beyond statements towards systemic allyship. Across our programmes, we co-design initiatives that aim to give partners and communities a seat at the table – from our Knowledge Impacts Network and Evidence Cafés, which surface and share a plurality of voices, to our upcoming festival of Cultural Knowledge Exchange and brand new pilots including the Collaborations Lab and the Lightbox programme, which will explore and develop equitable partnership models and visibility.
Our work is rooted in the belief that diversity is not just a value; it is an engine for better knowledge creation. Evidence from large-scale studies shows that ethnically and demographically diverse research teams generate more novel ideas and higher-impact outputs; underrepresented scholars produce disproportionately novel work (even when recognition lags). UK and international analyses also find that international, multi-institutional teams—and teams overall—are more likely to produce the most highly cited, field-leading research.
NCACE’s strength lies in our collaborators, our work is sustained by a wide, evolving network across universities and specialist institutes, arts and cultural organisations (from grassroots to national), museums and galleries, local authorities, funders, creative artis and freelancers and independent researchers. One of our most important roles is to convene, listen and platform — to connect these communities, share their practice and evidence, and help their ideas travel further. The contribution of our diverse partners is what makes this ecosystem resilient, imaginative and impactful; and we will work towards making their contributions more visible, supported and shared. We invite partners and communities to help us continue shaping this work.
Suzie Leighton - Co-Director, NCACE
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This blog challenges universities and cultural organisations to move beyond statements and embed real, actionable allyship.
NB: My approach to most things is to be as clear and direct as possible. This may not always mean that my genuine intentions to aid understanding are fully received. I share this as a reflective and reflexive praxis practitioner, on the journey of understanding, and being understood; including recognising some of my own failings.
On many occasions, I’ve been asked to support and advise allies. This request is interesting, because my own experience of allyship has been mostly sporadic. Some may call it performative, but it isn’t always that clear cut, good people can still do harmful things.
In the hope of supporting change, I want to share reflections on what allyship could mean in the Knowledge Exchange sphere, particularly in Higher Education, Research, and the Cultural and Creative sectors, during a time of uncertainty, conflicting agendas, and shifting resource priorities. These shifts arise from economic pressures, political realignments, public scrutiny of institutions, and the evolving needs of communities we serve.
I draw on the 5Rs framework from Shades of Noir, Representation, Remuneration, Reparation, Reclamation, and Redistribution, to move allyship from statements to action.
Representation
True allyship starts with representation: giving underrepresented communities a seat at the table where decisions, priorities, and resources are set. It also means building capacity: funding grassroots organisations, co-authoring with community researchers, and inviting partners into governance, not just consultation.
- Anecdote: Recently, when supporting colleagues on a research funding bid, I asked: who should receive the greatest share of benefit, the institution, the funding body, academics, or the marginalised communities whose knowledge and lived experiences underpin the work? Simply asking “who, and why?” shifted the conversation and exposed previously unquestioned power dynamics.
Remuneration
Allyship without remuneration reinforces inequality. Communities and creative practitioners often contribute ideas and time without fair compensation. Budgeting for co-creation, engagement, and advisory work honours labour, strengthens trust, and improves outcomes.
- Anecdote: I watched a programme discussing how groups experiencing disadvantage need fairer treatment. It prompted me to imagine three people performing the same role: one economically secure, one economically insecure, and one affluent but financially precarious. What does fairer treatment look like? This question forces us to confront structural inequities and design equitable remuneration models.
Reparation
Reparation addresses theirstoric/herstoric/historic and current harms. Knowledge Exchange has frequently extracted knowledge from marginalised communities without return. Allyship means acknowledging harm and making amends: giving back IP rights, sharing authorship, reinvesting funds, and designing projects that heal.
- Anecdote: A community partner once asked why our institution wanted to “own” their data after a project. If the knowledge originates in the community, why assume institutional ownership? This highlighted the ease of replicating extraction under the banner of research and the need to actively make amends.
Reclamation
Reclamation challenges erasure and appropriation. Allies can protect community-developed methodologies, cite grassroots knowledge, and ensure outputs remain accessible. It also involves countering the undervaluing of knowledge outside Western, academic, or elite cultural frameworks.
- Anecdote: At a conference, an academic presented a “new” methodology I recognised as a long-standing grassroots practice, without credit. I asked about prior uses and how calling it “new” is problematic. The silence that followed was telling. Reclamation is about naming and correcting misattribution when it occurs.
Redistribution
Redistribution focuses on power, not just participation. Real allyship redistributes funding, decision-making authority, and institutional influence. Co-leadership models, shared governance, or community-controlled funds ensure Knowledge Exchange benefits flow to those herstorically/theirstorically/historically excluded.
- Anecdote: In a strategic meeting, I asked: “If this funding disappeared tomorrow, who could still influence outcomes?” The silence revealed concentrated power. Stepping aside, redistributing influence, and rethinking resources are tangible exercises in allyship.
Closing reflection
The 5Rs framework moves allyship from sporadic acts to systemic practice. Allyship is not a fixed identity; it is a continuous set of choices that can either perpetuate or disrupt inequality. No one is an ally all the time, but awareness allows us to see where we fall short and decide whether to act.
Call to action: Ask yourself: where can I move from being a supporter to an active redistributor of power and resources? This is where the Knowledge Exchange allyship begins.
Image credit: Shades of Noir