Three leading figures in arts and culture have been appointed to the Arts and Creative Economy Advisory group at the British Council.

As part of the group, chaired by David Bryan CBE, the new members will help to shape the British Council’s global arts strategy. Bryan, who also chairs Art Council England’s London Area Council and Creative Lives (UK) said: 'We welcome the new members to ACEAG. They join at an exciting juncture for the Creative Industries and Cultural Relations. We look forward to their contributions as we know they will enrich our debates and insights for British Council.'

British Council’s Director Arts, Skinder Hundal MBE added: 'Our new advisors hail from a variety of backgrounds and regions across the UK. We’re lucky to have three such talented people joining our team; adding to our members’ existing expertise. I am looking forward to the insight and advice they will bring to the table.'

The three new members join existing members Marie Brennan (National College of Art and Design, Dublin), Angela Chan (StoryFutures), Emma Dabiri (SOAS), Kerry Kyriacos Michael MBE (Kyriacos and Company and MENA Arts UK), Nabil Nayal (London College of Fashion), Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE (Freelance Creative Consultant), Elena Schmitz (NoFit State Circus), Abdul Shayek (Tara Arts), and chair David Bryan.

The new members are:

Caroline Grewar

Caroline Grewar is Interim Programme Director at V&A Dundee, responsible for the strategic leadership of public programme across exhibitions, learning and education, and partnership with UNESCO (City of Design, Dundee). Having worked in the culture sector for almost twenty years, Caroline began her career at the British Institute of Florence, Italy. She then joined V&A South Kensington, working across capital projects, major exhibition delivery and international touring exhibitions.

Declan Keeney

Declan Keeney is Professor (Chair) of Screen Technologies and Innovation at Ulster University and Director of the Ulster Screen Academy. His work is at the forefront of skills and workforce development in support of a converging screen industry. As Director of Research, Development and Innovation at 'Studio Ulster’, his research represents £91.5m worth of live grant-based research and development investments in emerging technologies for screen production.

Katy Shaw

Katy Shaw is Professor of 21st-century writing and publishing at Northumbria University and Director of the UKRI/AHRC Creative Communities programme. Her research includes diversity and inclusion in the creative industries (the subject of her 2022 TED talk) and the redistribution of the creative industries from the capital as part of the ‘levelling up agenda’. She is the author of The Case for Culture that set out policy recommendations, many of which have since been adopted by UK government.

About British Council’s work in the Arts and Creative Economy

Arts is a cornerstone of the British Council’s purpose to build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries. We find new ways of connecting with and understanding each other through the arts, to develop stronger creative sectors around the world that are better connected with the UK.

Our work in Arts and the Creative Economy builds connections with the diverse cultural riches of the UK, creates new opportunities and inspiration for artists around the world and the fostering of new collaborations with their British counterparts. It

strengthens perceptions of a modern, vibrant and creative UK among millions of people in fast-growing economies, encouraging more trade, investment and tourism. It also helps to bring together divided communities and provides creative ways of responding to global challenges by protecting heritage, human rights and a sustainable environment.

Find out more about the Arts and Creative Economy Advisory group

See also