International Journal of Education & the Arts

Citation: Reid, N. S. (2023). The gallery art hive as a metaphor for equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 24(si1.10). http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea24si1.10

This article explores how a visual metaphor offered inspiration for and was influenced by equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts being implemented in an established art education center. The art hive within this center’s contemporary art gallery is examined as a metaphor for the organization’s EDI work. Each month, the art hive transformed the gallery into an inclusive environment for diverse participants, established a sharing culture, and emphasized process and action. These characteristics aligned with the methods the organization was employing to create institutional shifts in relation to EDI. The author, who was the Director of this art education center, began to use the art hive as a metaphor for the organization’s vision for EDI work to help community members see possible futures, understand the work ahead, and further spark motivation for this journey. The correlations between the gallery’s art hive and the organization’s EDI efforts are examined.