British Council aims to catalyse inclusive, future-facing cultural exchange: Director Alison Barrett

New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) From supporting the mini edition of Serendipity Arts Festival in Birmingham this year to partnering with Wales in India at the 2024 Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, the British Council has aimed to catalyse "inclusive and future-facing cultural exchange" between India and the UK, its India director Alison Barrett said.

The British Council has been collaborating with the cultural sector and government bodies in both India and the UK to explore opportunities for strengthening cultural exchange and fostering long-term partnerships.

"The aim is to catalyse inclusive and future-facing cultural exchanges - from co-curated exhibitions and performances to creative residencies and joint public programmes that spark dialogue and showcase shared creativity and cultural heritage. Through this multi-layered engagement, we aim to grow cross-cultural understanding and strengthen the cultural and creative economies of both countries,” Barrett told PTI in an email interaction.

She noted that as part of these efforts, India and the UK are looking into potential collaborations in areas such as heritage conservation, museum management, and the digitisation of cultural collections. "These collaborations will reach a wider and more diverse set of audiences, including young people and the Indian diaspora in the UK, and promote inclusion, upskilling, and long-term sustainability in the cultural sector," she said.

The India/UK Together Season of Culture, one of the British Council's recent collaborations that ran from June 2022 to March 2023, engaged 1,945 artists, and over 51 partners across 21 cities in India and the UK.

As part of the 2024 Wales in India campaign, the British Council supported Welsh folk artists Gareth Bonello and Mari Mathias in performing alongside Naga musician Seyievinuo Chuzho and Khasi musician Benedict Hynniewta. The collaboration highlighted a fusion of cultural traditions and artistic expression under the theme ‘Two Nations of Culture and Innovation’.

In continuation of the creative collaboration between Welsh and Naga artists, Chuzho will travel to Wales this month to perform with Mathias.

"Initiatives like these are central to our approach of spotlighting India's regional voices on global platforms and bringing UK and Indian artists together to co-create, innovate, inspire, and educate new audiences," Barrett said.

The director further added that alongside its heritage-focused work, the council is also investing in "future-facing collaborations".

"The New Landscapes Catalyst Grant Scheme, funded and designed by us and led by UAL’s Fashion, Textiles and Technology Institute (FTTI), is a global R&D programme that has, since 2021, supported pioneering ideas in sustainable fashion, textiles, and technology.

“Six UK and Indian organisations have benefited from mentoring and funding under this programme and are well-positioned now to scale up their collaborations. This initiative is a powerful testament to how traditional craft knowledge and contemporary innovation can come together to address global challenges creatively," she said.

Going forward, Barrett added, the British Council wants to bring the best of modern India to the UK and modern UK to India through more "bold, inclusive, and future-facing collaborations that respond to the challenges and opportunities of our time".

"Sustainability is also really fundamental, whether that is in the ways we co-create, the subjects and themes we focus on or the longevity of the partnerships themselves. We will continue to support cultural exchanges that bridge traditional and contemporary practices -- from craft and literature to film, design and more -- while expanding opportunities for young artists, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders to co-create across borders," she added. PTI MAH MAH MG MG