An annual report from Arts Council England, the equivalent of the State Culture Council in Sweden, shows that people from ethnic minorities and persons with functional variations are under-represented in the cultural sector in England.

"It has to change," Council diversity manager Abid Hussain told The Guardian.

Those who do not meet the goals may lose funding

Arts council England has published diversity data for five years but has often been accused of talking rather than acting. The language of this year's report is tougher and Abid Hussain tells The Guardian that they want to be very clear that the industry needs to meet diversity goals:

- Those organizations that do not meet the goals can get rid of their funding.

Details of the goals are expected in April and they are likely to be as challenging for large arts organizations as for small ones.

Ethnic minorities and people with disabilities are underrepresented

11 percent of those working within the national organizations for galleries, theaters, orchestras, dance companies and museums have a different ethnic background than the majority in the country. Among the unemployed population throughout the country, the same figure is 16 percent.

In London, the proportion of cultural workers with a minority background is 15 per cent, which is close to the national average, but well below the capital's total working population with a minority background that is more than 40 per cent.

Only 6 per cent of cultural workers identify themselves as functionally varied, compared to 21 per cent of the working population in the country.

The dance world has the best statistics for diversity when it comes to people with a different ethnic background than the majority in the country, while the museums have the lowest proportion.