From Wales to Lesotho

Photo of young people dancing outside
30 May 2018

A group of actors with Down’s Syndrome travelled to Lesotho in southern Africa to help change attitudes to people with learning disabilities. Jon Dafydd-Kidd tells the story.

In conversation: Researching cultural value

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17 May 2018

Do we know more about the worth of the arts than we did 30 years ago or have we been going in circles? Researcher Patrycja Kaszynska and consultant Ian David Moss discuss researching the value of culture in the UK and the US.

Empowering the box office

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17 May 2018

Changing the role of the box office at Vancouver’s summer Shakespeare festival from an operational one to a marketing one resulted in an increase in ticket revenue, says Ethan Joseph.

How to… develop international partnerships

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05 Apr 2018

Collaborating with international partners can be rewarding, but how do you start? Emma Crook shares her expertise, from making contact and overcoming barriers to getting support.

“A great shame”: British Council forced to suspend work in Russia

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21 Mar 2018

The future is unclear for a professional development programme connecting artists in the two countries, following the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter.

The soft power of the arts

Photo of people in street pillow fight
15 Mar 2018

Soft power can create a vibrant image of a country and give it a higher status in global networks. But what part does culture play, and how can we measure its contribution, asks Ian Thomas.

My Gurus - Mira Kaushik

Photo of Mira Kaushik
15 Feb 2018

Mira Kaushik reveals how an introduction to experimental Indian street theatre in the 1970s and conversations with a vagrant bohemian wanderer shaped her career.

Creativity in schools to be compared across the world

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12 Jan 2018

The PISA test, traditionally used to compare literacy and numeracy around the globe, will measure creativity in recognition that these skills cannot be automated.

Alternative in-flight entertainment

Photo of woman singing on a plane
23 Nov 2017

An immersive theatre performance lasted 13 hours – the time it took to fly from Heathrow to New York via Iceland. Kate Hargreaves tells the story.

Hong Kong: Where dance and technology meet

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22 Nov 2017

In the lead-up to the opening of new venues in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, Anna CY Chan is embracing technology to broaden dance audiences and develop future talent.

My Gurus – Holly Prest

Photo of Holly Prest
18 Nov 2017

From Manchester to Brazil and back again, Holly Prest, Artistic Director of carnival arts organisation Global Grooves, names those who have shaped and inspired her career.

Government doubles number of visas for ‘exceptional’ arts talent outside EU

Photo of Amber Rudd
16 Nov 2017

Home Secretary Amber Rudd believes the changes will ensure the UK remains “at the heart of world culture”.

How I solved… challenges of cross-language collaboration

Theo Solomon in Suzy Storck
13 Nov 2017

Communicating ideas clearly and maintaining artistic integrity can be difficult in any collaboration – let alone one that straddles language barriers. Ellen McDougall explains how the Gate Theatre overcame these challenges for its latest co-production.

Culture used by political figures to “exert power and control”

Photo of art at the UN
09 Nov 2017

Diplomats use exhibitions and other cultural events as core parts of their strategies to befriend and influence others, new research has found.

UK arts threatened by planned £39m British Council cut

Photo of Child drawing
25 Aug 2017

The UK’s Creative Europe desk, managed by the British Council, would be unaffected by the proposed cut.

A global vision of arts learning

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20 Jul 2017

While the EBacc may be causing concern for the status of the arts in UK schools, there are opportunities to ensure creativity is at the heart of education in lower-income countries around the world. Joe Hallgarten makes the case. 

Arts Council unveils ‘significant’ fund for artists working internationally

Photo of Nicholas Serota
14 Jul 2017

The Creative Practitioners Fund will be used to support research and development, and will be open to people working in the wider creative industries across England.

Lessons from Hong Kong

Photo of an audience of young people in concert hall
28 Jun 2017

Programming both Cantonese and western opera, the Hong Kong Arts Festival has a challenge when it comes to audience development. Tisa Ho shares her strategy.

International cultural exchange

Photo of woman watching younger man writing
22 Jun 2017

Delivering training to creative businesses across Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean has taught Visiting Arts the value of forming relationships face-to-face, says Sophia Victoria.

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