'No whites' ad may be unlawful

The position was open to 'African, Asian and Caribbean curators'

A job advertisement by an art centre which excluded white candidates could be unlawful, it has been claimed.

A Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) inquiry found the advert for a curator's assistant at the Arnolfini in Bristol may break race relation laws.

The investigation was launched after a the CRE received a complaint.

David McNeill, spokesman for Arts Council England, which partly funds the Arnolfini, said the advert had been withdrawn.

The advert for the position of curator's assistant at a racism exhibition appeared earlier in the year.

Civil liberties

It read: "Arnolfini is taking positive action to address the under representation of Black and Asian artists in accordance with Sections 35 and 37 of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000.

"The post is only open to African, Asian and Caribbean curators based in England.

The decision to exclude white people was challenged by civil liberties group Liberty and Law, which wrote to the CRE urging a freeze on the recruitment process.

"We received a complaint from a member of the public, looked into the advert and in our view it could be unlawful," a CRE spokeswoman said.

"The gallery has agreed to review it."

Mr McNeill blamed the problem on the wording of the advert.

The job advertised had been for a training position, for which there are allowances under race relations laws, he said.

"The [wording on the] advert and background information was fudged," Mr McNeill said.

"It was done with all the best intentions but it didn't make it clear enough that this was a training position and not a permanent job."

The spokesman said the opportunity to use funding for a position at the racism exhibition had now passed and it would probably be used for another role.

The Arnolfini, on Bristol's harbour side, is funded by Bristol City Council, Arts Council England and National Lottery funds.