The British Council’s Arts Group consists of a team of professionals who mobilise the best of British creative talent to develop innovative programmes that will engage with thousands of people all over the world, drawing them into a closer relationship with the UK. The areas we cover include music, drama, dance, visual arts, design , architecture, film, literature, new media, museums management and the creative economy, and we have multi-disciplinary arts specialists based in our offices in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. We work closely with in-house experts in education, science and other disciplines, with colleagues in the 109 countries in which we currently operate, and with a very wide range of arts and culture organisations and practising writers, filmmakers, performers, designers, artists and creative and cultural leaders in the UK and around the world. Throughout our work we aim to give a modern, diverse picture of the United Kingdom.

However, unlike the UK’s Arts Councils, we are not an arts funding organisation; we use the arts to respond to the UK’s international strategic and geographical priorities by promoting the debate of issues and ideas, challenging opinions and increasing understanding between cultures. Nevertheless we do work closely with the Arts Councils, the UK Film Council, DCMS, UK Trade & Investment and others to identify opportunities for collaboration which will meet our different objectives, to ensure that we capitalise on our different strengths, and that we respond to the interests and international aspirations of the UK arts and creative industries sectors. For example, the Connections Through Culture programme with China, funded by the FCO, DCMS, the Scottish Executive and the British Council builds institutional capacity in both China and the UK, and provides a framework and project management support for more high-profile events.

We consciously build on past successes and look for opportunities to expand projects which have been effective on a small scale. We are developing regional programmes which respond to issues of common concern but respect individual and national diversity. And, increasingly, we are working in difficult environments where we do not yet have extensive networks, and where local partners need capacity-building support before we are able to develop sustained programmes of activity.