Arts Council England and the British Council Music Department are pleased to be able to share the results of a piece of research into the funding and development opportunities for British musicians and music organisations to export and develop international markets for their work.
The music sector, and the arts more widely, are operating in an increasingly internationalised context and for many years Arts Council England and the British Council have been working independently and together, often with other partners such as UK Trade & Investment, to support British musicians and music creators in developing their work and careers abroad. We have done this in a number of ways including cultural exchange, artistic research and development, the appearance of British artists at international showcases, visits by international promoters to British festivals and showcases, and the strategic promotion of particular sectors of British music abroad. However, we have become aware of the need amongst the agencies concerned, and particularly within Arts Council England and the British Council, for a more coherent approach to this work which is clearly understood by the music sector.
This research was commissioned in order to inform a more developed approach to this work by gaining greater clarity about the ecology of support currently available, and to find ways for all the agencies involved to work in a more strategic and collaborative way. The report, by Julia Payne and Adam Jeanes of The Hub, has been both informative and helpful in its recommendations. The three documents published here are the executive summary, mapping and gapping research findings, and a description of the wider operating context in which Arts Council England and the British Council operate. The British Council will shortly commission further mapping and gapping research for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which will also be made available on our website.
We shall act immediately on some of the recommendations described in the executive summary, such as a more joined up approach to showcasing and clearer communication of our international priorities and ways of working. Some are less practical at the moment but will inform future developments, and some will not be possible in the current financial climate. However, the findings have provoked ongoing discussion and helped to inform the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between Arts Council England and the British Council.
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