The true value of international conferences lies not only in academic presentations, but also in the power of networking as well as the ability to bring theoretical research and practical experiences into the same space. This year’s International Cultural Policy Research Conference (ICCPR) in Canada became one such venue, featuring strong representation from the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance (ICRRA, co-founded by the British Council and ifa). This review explores the network’s participation formats, key conference themes, and shares reflections from the event.

Context and core themes of ICCPR: language, culture and policy

From August 17 to 22, the University of Ottawa hosted the International Conference on Cultural Policy Research (ICCPR). 

The ICCPR takes place every two years, rotating host countries and main thematic focuses. 

This year, the spotlight was on the intersection of language and cultural policy, reflecting how language functions not just as an instrument for art or heritage communication, but as a carrier of cultural memory and worldview. Discussions unfolded across three primary levels:

- Protecting and promoting linguistic diversity: 

Special attention focused on how emerging technologies, AI, and algorithms affect linguistic accessibility, alongside issues of cultural rights and content regulation through quotas.

- Governance and cultural policy in multilingual contexts: 

How multilingualism (including the dynamics between majority and minority language communities) shapes state institutions and cultural strategies.

- Languages within broader historical and cultural processes: 

The influence of linguistic spheres (Anglophone, Francophone, Hispanophone, Turkophone, Lusophone), shaped by global history and colonisation, on the movement of policy ideas and institutions. Panels also examined the role of multilateral bodies (such as UNESCO, La Francophonie, and the Commonwealth) in supporting these cultural dynamics.

Beyond the conference’s central focus on language, the breadth of topics represented demonstrated just how expansive the field of cultural policy has become. Sessions we attended explored questions ranging from crowdfunding and fair cultural policy to urban cultural spaces, rural arts development, ‘useful conviviality’, and the changing relationship between labour and leisure, to mention just a few. Although these subjects approached cultural policy from different directions, they shared an interest in how cultural participation is changing and how institutions and policymakers respond. Together, these conversations reflected how cultural policy increasingly intersects with broader questions of economic opportunity, social participation, community development, and the ways people experience culture in their everyday lives.  

The value of local context and cross-country parallels

A particular highlight of the conference was the opportunity to engage directly with the Canadian context. A significant portion of the programme focused on the languages and heritage of Indigenous peoples in Canada, historical and contemporary aspects of Canadian official bilingualism, and the ongoing re-evaluation of the country’s complex historical legacy. The Canadian setting made many broader questions discussed throughout the conference particularly tangible, illustrating how debates around language, identity, cultural memory, and policy are experienced within a specific national context. 

For international participants, this local grounding proved deeply resonant and relevant. It provided a framework for drawing direct parallels with their own national contexts, comparing language policies and historical narratives, and exploring shared approaches to cultural memory.

Combining academic papers with sessions featuring local cultural relations practitioners created a well-balanced mix of theoretical researchers and policy analysts.

This comparative dimension was one of the conference's most valuable aspects. Hearing perspectives and case studies from countries like China, Japan, Ukraine, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada, Colombia, and many others highlighted how cultural policy challenges can be simultaneously global and deeply local. Questions of access, funding, participation, cultural labour, language, and identity may resonate across borders, but countries respond in ways shaped by distinct histories, institutions, and social realities. Encountering these different approaches allows us to learn from practices being tested elsewhere, while also challenging assumptions that can easily become taken for granted within our own national and professional contexts.

Moreover, connecting research with practice is precisely the core mandate of ICRRA, whose members were active participants of the ICCPR conference.

The ICRRA network: bridging research and action

Established in 2019 by the British Council and the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa), the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance (ICRRA) is a network of institutions, scholars, and practitioners in international cultural relations. ICRRA acts as a bridge builder between practical cultural relations work, scholarly reflection, and policy advice. It aims to facilitate the exchange of research-based knowledge with policymakers, practitioners and civil society, with a strong focus on promoting dialogue and network-building with the Global South.

As well as running a dedicated hybrid networking session for the ICCPR conference, featuring online contributions from ICRRA’s  global members, ICRRA also convened a thematic panel at the event. This ICRRA panel explored the dual role of language in international cultural relations: its capacity to create spaces for dialogue and mutual exchange, but also its potential to become an instrument of power and geopolitical influence. ICRRA panellists moved from an examination of the changing terminology of cultural diplomacy to contrasting cases involving Binational Centers in Latin America and disinformation in activities of Russian state-affiliated cultural institutions. The panel highlighted the importance of looking beyond language promotion itself to consider questions of power, institutional control, local agency, and the relationships that develop around cultural exchange. These are all themes that the network also regularly addresses through its own online conferences and webinars – including the forthcoming series of ICRRA Talks ‘Where next with the global order?’, 20th to 22nd October 2026. 

Final reflections

The conference experience highlighted both the opportunities and complexities of creating genuinely international spaces for exchange. Bringing together different languages, perspectives, and national experiences enriched the conversations, while also raising practical questions about how to ensure meaningful participation and dialogue. Our own ICRRA thematic panel, originally conceived as a longer conversation among contrasting cases, had limited time to fully explore the connections between them. Similarly, using both French and English reflected the Canadian context and the conference’s commitment to linguistic diversity, while at times also challenging participants who were not fluent in both languages. In some ways, these experiences echoed the very questions being discussed throughout the conference: how can we embrace linguistic and intellectual diversity while also ensuring accessibility, participation, and meaningful exchange? The experience at ICCPR reinforces that effective analysis of international cultural relations requires ongoing exchange between researchers and practitioners across different regions.

ICRRA remains an open platform for researchers in cultural diplomacy, cultural policy, and international relations, offering ongoing opportunities for collaboration, data exchange, and joint initiatives. Visit the ICRRA website to learn more about the network, explore its research repository, access recordings and policy briefs from past events, or apply to join the network.

Registration is now open for the ICRRA Talks 2026: Where next for the global order? (20th – 22nd October, online). All welcome!