See our support and funding pages for advice on making contacts with overseas organisations, promoters, venues and festivals. The PAYE directory is very useful for finding international contacts. Should you secure an invitation, please ask your overseas partner to contact the British Council office in their country.

We don’t generally support the work of youth groups or amateur companies overseas. Here are some places which do:

• The British Council’s Connect Youth International scheme (connecting youth from the UK and overseas)
• International Intelligence on Culture (information on accessing international funds)
• Euclid (European Union funds database)

A key focus of our work is to reflect the contemporary British experience in all its diversity. We approach this through a range of activities:

• Links - We are well linked with key organisations and projects that specifically advocate representing cultural diversity in the arts. We receive regular publications that keep us in touch with current UK developments in diverse performing arts scenes.
• Advice - We ensure good communication between our office in London and our offices in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast to ensure that all regions of the UK are represented in our work.
• Specific focuses - Often our work developing projects in partnership with overseas arts managers and their partners has a specific focus on diversity. This might take the shape of supporting artists and companies for festivals/events focusing on diversity; or of linking artists who are working with aspects of their varied cultural heritages.
• Discussion - Keeping our overseas offices and partners updated on the UK drama, dance and music scene involves being at the forefront of thinking in the UK.
• Attitude - Our projects often approach this goal indirectly as it's an all-encompassing aspect of our work. For instance, our international radio show The Selector showcases new music from all over the music circuit. Any UK-based artist is able to send in examples of their work for potential inclusion.

Check out our On Tour magazine or our lists of useful dance, drama and music publications.

You could also look at these recommended publications and resources:

• British Performing Arts Yearbook - Theatre companies, solo performers, venues, festivals, arts support organisations and services.
• Performing Arts Yearbook for Europe (PAYE+MOD) - International directories of performers, promoters, venues, festivals, organisations and the media.

The Music, Drama and Dance teams consist of 9 people currently:

• 1 Director of Music
• 1 Director of Drama and Dance
• 7 Project Managers

Vacancies come up very rarely. We advertise permanent vacancies in The Guardian (Mondays & Saturdays) or online. We are sorry but we cannot offer work experience placements due to the volume of interest.

More information about working in the British Council Arts Group.

Try contacting the following organisations and checking their websites:

• Artsjobs at the Arts Council of England – click on Artsnews and arts jobs.
• The Place
• Foundation for Community Dance
• Arts Professional
• The Stage
• National Campaign for the Arts

Try contacting UK companies who work overseas:

• see our Performance in Profile listing of selected drama and dance companies.
• for larger-scale, more commercially-orientated West End production companies try The Official London Theatre Company.

Try contacting overseas companies / venues / festivals (festivals are often good for short-term casual or voluntary work). The following are helpful:

• the annually updated PAYE and MOD directories.
• UNESCO’s World Theatre Directory