Community Development

The Situation

Muslims are the largest minority in the UK (6.5% of the population at the 2021 census).

Collectively, they are in the worst socio-economic position – in education, employment, housing and health. Discrimination is a principal cause of this disadvantage, discrimination that arises from a dominant narrative around Muslims in the UK which is negative, monolithic and stereotyping. To change this narrative to one that is confident, diverse and just, more authentic Muslim stories need to be told and heard. But levels of engagement in the creative activity that generates these stories are inevitably low because Muslim communities have to focus on meeting their basic needs and lack opportunities for accessible creative engagement.

Our Response

Amal works, first and foremost, to build the creative capacity of Muslim communities.

This in turn enhances their sense of community as they own and experience their power to tell their own stories in multiple ways. Strengthening community is about people doing things together, building trusted relationships, pursuing a common purpose in an atmosphere of generosity. Creative activities are ideal for this. Amal grows opportunities for creative engagement in multiple ways: through taster activities in communities that help them visualise the range of opportunities available to them; through the projects Amal supports that are co-created between communities and professional creative practitioners; by connecting communities to Muslim artists and mainstream arts organisations so they can work more closely together. We consult communities continuously about their aspirations and concerns and respond to what they say in everything we do.