FAQs
Answers to frequently asked questions on our activities
Find all your queries answered here
I'm interested in funding; how can I apply for funding from the British Council?
The British Council is not a traditional funding body. We operate a grant programme in the UK for British visual artists invited to exhibit overseas; in India, we facilitate the award of grants to Indian artists under the auspices of the Charles Wallace India Trust. There are other organisations, however, that can support you; if you are an Indian artist or performer wishing to study in the UK (either formally or through residency programmes), and are under 35, you can apply to the Charles Wallace India Trust. If you are an Indian artist or performer and have been invited to show your work in the UK, you can apply to
Visiting Arts or the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. If you are a UK based visual artist who has been invited to exhibit in India, you could apply to the British Council in London. Finally, if you are an Indian artist or performer seeking research grants to develop your work in India, you can contact the
India Foundation for the Arts.
How does the British Council work? What kinds of projects is the British Council interested in?
Our planning cycle begins in September of every year and we work at least nine months to a year in advance. We always wish to be involved in projects where we can participate in their development from the outset. In India, the majority of our work is focused on using contemporary and innovative arts from the UK to build stronger ties with the arts community in India, either through performance, exhibition, capacity building or exchange. Currently, we are focusing on live events targeted at a 17-35 age group and on the creative industries sector (music, film, broadcasting & publishing, and design). We are also commissioning one large scale performance each year; in 2005/06 we are working with British director Tim Supple to produce A Midsummer Nights Dream, its entire cast and creative team drawn from India and Sri Lanka.
What can the British Council do for me and my organisation?
The British Council in India can serve as a gateway to contemporary arts practice and education in the UK. We offer, or are able to direct you to, unbiased, accurate, up-to-date information on the contemporary art scene in Britain. We also act as a source of information on arts management and programming. In India, we began in 2002 a four year programme of work focused on arts & business, creative industries and cultural policy. This work is on-going and more information on future projects and soft-copy materials can be found on this website.
I am looking for information on and contact details for UK based artists; where can I look?
You may find the relevent information from belowmentioned topicwise list:
I curate a gallery space or art centre in India and am interested in presenting a visual artist from the UK; can I apply to the British Council's Grants-to-Artists programme through your visual arts department?
Yes, the British Council's one grant scheme specifically for visual artists, the Grants to Artists Scheme, is designed to help promote British art by assisting professional British artists who are resident in the UK to exhibit overseas in public or commercial spaces. The scheme is administered with guidance from members of a subcommittee, drawn from the Council's Visual Arts Advisory Committee, in close consultation with British Council Directorates overseas. Either the artist or the hosting gallery, museum or art space may apply.
I am looking for information on UK Arts Festivals; where can I look?
The
British Council’s Arts website in the UK has up to date information on major forthcoming events taking place in the UK. Check out The British Arts Festivals Association, the meeting point of arts festivals in the UK, providing information and a complete calendar of arts festivals in the UK, with links to
festival websites and search for comprehensive information on
UK Literary Festivals website.
I am looking for information on organisations involved with Arts Education in the UK; where can I look?
Sponsored by the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce, Artsed.net offers information and statistics on arts education in schools, including policy statements and updates on new initiatives. For information on some of the British Council's projects and collaborations with music education initiatives, check out MusEd.
The Centre for Creative Communities works in arts and education, cultural exchanges and urban regeneration, promoting the building of creative and sustainable communities through projects where creativity and learning have pivotal roles.
I'm interested in continuing my training in the UK. Can you tell me where to look to research training courses and university programs in the arts?
Check out studyintheuk.org, the learning pages of our website, which is the British Council's guide to find out general information about studying in the UK from information on courses to financial aid to the application process. For information on schools and programs in a particular arts discipline, look to pages on the British Council website dedicated to
Arts Training and Education.
I am looking for an arts related internship or other arts related job opportunity in India, can you tell me where to start my research?
For career with the British Council in India, you could browse our careers section.
I am looking for an arts related job or internship in the UK. Can you tell me where to begin my job search?
We suggest the following web listings:
- Arts Professional Online (www.artsprofessional.co.uk)
lists arts administrative and arts-related jobs in its job listings service. - a n (www.artsprofessional.co.uk)
a not-for-profit, artist run company that provides information on opportunities for visual and applied artists. - The Guardian (jobs.guardian.co.uk)
offers job listings in the areas of Arts & Heritage, where you can search employment advertisements.
I am performing or exhibiting my work in India. Can the British Council help promote my upcoming event or project?
If you have spent significant time in the UK, or studied in Britain, it may be possible for the British Council to promote your event online (please let
your local office know about the project; when and where it’s happening and more about your work).
I'm planning a trip to the UK and I'm interested in current British arts projects & events. Where can I find out what's on in the UK?
Check the
Visit Britain website for answers to your queries on travel, accomodation and major attractions in Britain.
