Phyllida Barlow exhibition artwork in Venice
Installation view, folly, Phyllida Barlow, British Pavilion, Venice, 2017. Photo: Ruth Clark ©

British Council. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth.

Our work in arts and culture

We find new ways of connecting with and understanding each other through the arts, building creative and collaborative global communities that inspire innovation, knowledge, prosperity and peace. The connections we build through arts and culture transform lives and create positive change.

We deliver this through:

Cultural exchange

We support organisations and artists to build networks and collaborate and bring artists and audiences together to share and exchange creative ideas.

Find out about our current and upcoming international opportunities for artists, creatives, professionals and organisations.

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Creative economy

We work with creative leaders to support sustainable and inclusive creative economies.

Explore our latest research, programmes and work in creative economy.

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Culture responds to global challenges

Through the transformative power of arts and culture to change mindsets, we support more connected and equal societies and the protection and promotion of cultural expression, diversity and heritage at risk. Read more about our Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with DCMS, here.

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Art form directors

Led by Director Arts Skinder Hundal, we have seven central teams based in our London office, which serve different disciplines and sectors. They are headed by art form directors:

Architecture, Design, Fashion 
Sevra Davis

Culture in Action
Stephen Stenning

Film 
Briony Hanson

Literature 
Sinead Russell and Rachel Stevens

Music 
Joel Mills

Theatre and Dance 
Neil Webb

Visual Arts 
Emma Dexter and Miranda Stacey

Creative Economy
Rehana Mughal

Culture Responds
Pablo Rosselló

Regional Arts directors

Our artform directors and their specialist teams work with arts colleagues in nine regions, each with a Regional Arts Lead:

Americas Maria Garcia Holley
(Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, United States of America, Venezuela)

East Asia Manami Yuasa
(Australia, Burma, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philipines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam)

European Union Jane Costello (Acting Director)
(Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland)

Middle East and North Africa Amany Abouzeid
(Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen)

South Asia Jill Richens
(Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)

Sub Saharan Africa Farai Ncube
(Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe)

Wider Europe Claire De Braekeleer
(Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan)