Supplementary written evidence submitted by the British Council

House of Commons

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Major cultural and sporting events

Post-appearance submission from the British Council following oral evidence from James Hampson, Director UK Region and External Affairs on 19 October 2021

About the British Council:

• The British Council builds connections, trust and understanding between people around the world, crucially working for the whole of the UK. We work in over 100 countries reaching 790 million people every year.  We are an operationally independent Non-Departmental Body and we work closely with the UK government and Devolved Administrations to support international priorities.

Our role in supporting and delivering major events:

• The British Council plays an important role in supporting international engagement with major UK events, using our global network to link events as diverse as Unboxed (previously Festival UK* 2022), the Commonwealth Games, or Coventry City of Culture  with audiences and participants around the world.

• Our bilateral Seasons and other intensive programmes delivered overseas and in the UK provide a unique platform to showcase creativity and innovation and to demonstrate our values to deliver soft power benefits for the whole of the UK. In planning major programmes, we are closely aligned with HMG, the Devolved Administrations and key external stakeholders to deliver on shared objectives.

• By doing this, we project the UK and Brand Britain around the world, building trust and attraction in the UK overseas and increasing the willingness of individuals, businesses and other organisations to interact, do business, study or visit this country, particularly amongst the younger demographic. Our programmes are built around collaboration and exchange, bringing mutual benefit to communities in the UK and overseas and delivering on both ODA and non-ODA priorities.

1.         How the British Council works with FCDO, DCMS and other public bodies to support the delivery of major events and key mechanisms which support a joined-up approach.

1.1              As an NDPB of the FCDO, we always align our work with HMG priorities, whilst ensuring that we reflect the diversity of all four nations of the UK. As part of that, we align our major events overseas and our support for international engagement with major UK events with HMG priorities. These include:

(a)               contributing to the UK’s soft power,

(b)               increasing positive perceptions of Global Britain,

(c)                and supporting inward investment, and the recovery of key sectors from the pandemic through access to new markets and partnerships.

1.2         An example of that alignment is the UK in JAPAN campaign which ran from 2019 until – 2021, delivered in partnership with the British Embassy in Tokyo. Capitalising on the global spotlight provided by the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the 2019 Rugby World Cup, our parallel cultural programme showcased UK arts and culture to Japanese audiences. UK partners included BBC Proms, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery exhibitions and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

1.3         That programme and others are made to align with HMG and key stakeholder objectives by:

(a)               Planning our programmes so that they fit with our KPIs agreed with FCDO. This is achieved through our regular Strategic Forum, consultation with the British Council sponsor team at FCDO and the links between our Global Network and country desks and missions.

(b)               Responding to the priorities of DCMS, DIT and other departments through regular dialogue and project-level governance. For example, Seasons and other major programmes are governed by advisory boards, which include HMG and Devolved Administration representatives and key external stakeholders and are often chaired by the relevant country’s Ambassador.

(c)                Proactive engagement with key cultural stakeholder groups, to capitalise on shared objectives. This includes the Cultural Diplomacy Group (comprised of representatives of national arts councils, major UK cultural institutions, HMG and Devolved Administrations), and the Arts & Creative Economy Advisory Group, comprised of sector leaders who advise on, and influence our Arts strategy.

2.         How the British Council’s strategy for delivery aligns with HMG priorities and long-term strategy for how the British Council plans festivals and seasons.

2.1         The British Council maintains a forward-look of major cultural and civic moments both in the UK and with priority countries over the next 5+ years. We do this by mapping planned major events, consulting HMG on priorities, and via our global network of colleagues working closely with Embassies and cultural/ civic partners overseas. 

2.2         Decision-making is based upon set criteria presented in a business case, scrutinised at Regional and UK Leadership level in the British Council. The criteria for approval include:

(a)               Alignment to external opportunities, as well as HMG/Devolved Administration priorities and British Council KPIs

(b)               Links to major domestic events and anniversaries (e.g. Commonwealth Games, Unboxed, the UK City of Culture Programme)

(c)                Or global anniversaries, sporting events and geopolitical priorities (Tokyo 2020 Olympics and UK in Japan, UK/Australia and the strategic tilt to the Indo/Pacific and the 75th anniversaries of independence of India and Pakistan in 2022).

(d)               Ability to deliver impact and legacy

(e)               Available and required capacity and resource and realistic timeframes

2.3         As part of our forward planning, we already have plans to deliver Seasons with Pakistan, Ukraine and India, as well as the UK/Australia Season which is underway; all of which align on clear geopolitical drivers and external opportunities. We are also partnered and engaged with Unboxed, as well as the Commonwealth Games cultural and education programme, the 75th anniversary of three Edinburgh Festivals’, the 60th anniversary of Belfast International Arts Festival and Coventry City of Culture. These contribute not just to international priorities, but are also part of the British Council’s offer to level up the UK. 

2.4         Looking ahead to major sporting events in the future, such as Paris 2024, we are in consultation around activity that can contribute to this major event. We are planning UK/France artistic collaborations which will support sector recovery to align with the 3-year Cultural Olympiad which will take place across France in the lead-up to 2024.

3.         Key challenges to planning and delivering major events, including enablers for successful internationalisation of events.

3.1         The challenges for planning include uncertainty over travel restrictions and public health measures over the next 12-24 months. Linked to this is the impact of the pandemic on global cultural sectors, both financially and in terms of appetite for risk, and capacity to engage with ‘non-core’ activities, will continue to be felt. Added to this is uncertainty about the future shape of the British Council, as we await our allocation at CSR21.

3.2         The challenges for delivery include questions over the long-term appeal of digital and hybrid events, as people regain a preference for physical attendance. There are also growing limits on the extent to which the British Council can support internationalisation and delivery in non-ODA countries. While there are stated FCDO priorities in the non-ODA world, a reduced non-ODA budget and presence in the non-ODA world is likely to affect our ability to deliver festivals, seasons and major events with non-ODA connections. Once severed those relationships cannot easily be rebuilt, with trust a key enabling factor for delivery.

4.         The interplay between soft power and major events.

4.1         Major international events create ‘moments’ or platforms for countries on the world stage, alongside stimulus and momentum for international collaboration and exchange. They are opportunities for the UK to build the vital trust and connections which drive our soft power and influence.

4.2         Our G20[1] soft power survey showed that trust in the UK government increased among those who had participated in a UK cultural initiative. Where this engagement was curated by the British Council, it increased by an additional 13 percentage points.  Those with a favourable view of the UK are twice as likely to engage economically with us, through trade, travel, study or investment.

4.3         Our UK in Japan campaign (as do all our Seasons) foregrounded UK excellence in arts and culture – an area which research shows is a key strength for the UK’s attractiveness as a destination for people in Japan. Showcasing excellence in UK’s Arts offer will have helped to cement that identity. 

4.4         Similarly, major events delivered in the UK – such as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and our British Council contribution which aims to encourage collaboration and exchange for artists and young people. British Council activity so far in the run-up to the Games includes:

(a)               Collaboration with the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee, the Birmingham Education Partnership, and the Youth Sport Trust, to deliver Commonwealth Connections programme which will twin 60 schools in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton with counterparts across the Commonwealth in the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

(b)               Learning resources produced in partnership with the Youth Sports Trust, available digitally for educators in all Commonwealth countries to teach their students about the Commonwealth and its values.

(c)                Seven research and development projects, funded by the British Council and managed by the Birmingham 2022 Culture Programme, which linked artists and companies based in the West Midlands with creatives in Commonwealth countries.

(d)               British Council Country Teams across the Commonwealth are working with High Commissions and wider HMG partners supporting engagement with the Queen’s Baton Relay as it moves across the Commonwealth.

(e)               Supporting young people from across the Commonwealth to attend three youth summits, connecting them to peers from the West Midlands and across the UK, to discuss issues that matter most to them and the Commonwealth’s future.

(f)                  Supporting young people to develop a Commonwealth young people’s manifesto with partners The Princes Trust, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Beatfreeks and the Commonwealth Games Federation

4.5         Research from 11 strategically important countries showed that on average 36% people stated that the London 2012 Games had made the UK more attractive as a place to study or do business, and 35% were more likely to visit the UK as a result.[2] The London 2012 Games were watched by more than 50% of the world’s population. The highly acclaimed London 2012 Cultural Olympiad was the largest cultural programme of any Games: 180 thousand activities with participation from 43 million people.

4.6         British Council was at the centre of the internationalisation of the programme and engaged 26 million worldwide through our global network. The legacy of this programme continues: in the lead up to Tokyo 2020, British Council ran a series in Japan sharing the UK’s experience.

4.7         Our partnership on Unboxed provides an opportunity to promote our ‘collective and unique offer to the world,’ positioning the whole of the UK as a creative powerhouse and leader in cross-sector STEAM innovation. In our role as International Partner for the festival, we are:

(a)               Supporting the international ambitions of the 10 commissions – e.g., identifying touring opportunities, legacy projects where there is appetite from the creative teams- it should be noted following the oral evidence hearing that the British Council is not providing funding to resource international tours of the festival projects but will support with identifying and brokering opportunities with international partners where relevant.

(b)               Providing advocacy and international engagement opportunities for the Festival – sharing learning, ideas and best practice on international platforms, conferences etc that British Council is in involved in globally.

(c)                Amplifying the Festival internationally – sharing digital content, resources etc from the Festival via our global marketing and communications channels where relevant to international audiences.

(d)               Supporting the international collaborative programme – brokering programme and research partnerships, and cross-sectoral collaborations.  

(e)               Providing international content and perspectives for the Global Creativity Summit  –  a global physical/ hybrid conference and legacy moment for the Festival. We will be proactively engaging our networks of cultural leaders, policy makers and academics so international voices are represented.

(f)                  In addition, the British Council will maximise stakeholder engagement opportunities with the Festival by leveraging the British Council’s global network, partners and Embassy relationships.

5.         How success of major events can be measured.

5.1         We have a fixed methodology for evaluating seasons and their impact which can serve as an example of how impact can be evaluated for large-scale programmes. This involves:

(a)               Developing a Theory of Change for the Season  

(b)               Identifying baseline pre delivery targets of the Season, centred around a common set of indicators 

(c)                Conducting continued evaluation for two-three years after the Season ends to capture the medium/ long term outcomes such as trust and economic benefits through qualitative research

(d)               Convening an overarching Learning Group to pull together the evidence from across different Seasons and a common approach to evaluation

(e)               Exploring how the British Council’s impact benchmarks with other cultural relations organisations overseas.

5.2         When it comes to measuring the soft power impact of events and seasons, we measure the change to the perception of UK excellence in the relevant field as well as increased  willingness to visit, study or do business with the UK and favourability towards the UK, its values and its cultural assets. Local and regional community benefits are also key drivers of attractiveness overseas too.

5.3         We have also captured business wins for trade and investment: A retrospective study of nine of our bilateral Seasons showed that each £1 invested leveraged £8 for arts and cultural organisations in the UK. The UK-China NOW creative and cultural seasons in 2013 and 2015 delivered in the region of £20 million for the UK creative sector.[3]

6.        Planning for and evaluating legacy.

6.1         While Seasons and events themselves are moments in-time, our approach is to plan for  longer term impact from the outset which outlive the length of the Season (normally between several months or a year). 

6.2         Planning for legacy is important as impact for key sectors must be sustained in order to deliver return on investment. It is vital that Seasons equip key sectors with the relationships, skills, knowledge and understanding of the other country to continue to work and collaborate internationally. For the UK/Australia Season, for example, two out of three UK cultural organisations participating have never worked with Australia before, despite Australia being the third-largest market behind the USA and Europe and we are supporting the sector to sustain and develop these relationships.    

6.3         When it comes to evaluation, we regularly measure longitudinal data. For example, while it is too early to accurately measure the impact of the UK in Japan programme, the outlook is promising, with 92 new relationships brokered to date and 100% of participants reporting an increase in their confidence to work internationally. 70% report a high likelihood that they will sustain those relationships, pointing to strong indications when it comes to legacy.

6.4         The UK/ Italy Season 2020, which was notably the British Council’s first digital-led Season due to the restrictions of the pandemic, provides us with evidence of sustained impact for the UK and Italian cultural sectors. The Season comprised 60 virtual events which engaged a target audience of 455 cultural professionals, with 51 new bilateral connections formed between UK and Italian culture sectors. The legacy of the Season continues through the establishment of the British Council Italy Cultural Advisory Board which ensures that culture remains at the heart of the bilateral relationship. This imperative was emphasised by Jill Morris CMG, British Ambassador to Italy and San Marino in an interview for British Council Insight, who asserted that “The Season provided a platform to reimagine a future with culture and collaboration at its heart, strengthening and creating new bilateral alliances for a richer and more sustainable future.”

6.5         The contribution of Seasons in supporting and sustaining bilateral relationships are of course more difficult to measure, but the UK/ Russia Year of Music 2019 was followed by statement from the Russian Embassy in London that ‘cultural ties have been playing the part of a pillar sustaining the entire structure of our bilateral relationship’ during a period of political crisis.

Recent Seasons – further evidence of legacy