The Power Of Culture To Change Lives
The Power of Culture to Change Lives
Why culture should be at the heart of efforts to tackle some of the key challenges facing the international community www.britishcouncil.org The British Council has prepared this publication ahead of the world’s first summit of Culture Ministers
– The Edinburgh International Culture Summit – to stimulate debate about the role of culture in government, and the contribution it can make to tackling key international challenges.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Reassessing the role of culture in government
The power of culture
The role of cultural ministries
2
3
4
8
About the British Council
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide.
We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.
Our 7,000 staff in more than 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy-makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes.
We earn over 75 per cent of our annual turnover of nearly £700 million from services which customers pay for, education and development contracts we bid for and from partnerships. A UK government grant provides the remaining 25 per cent. We match every £1 of core public funding with over £3 earned in pursuit of our charitable purpose.
Foreword
Reassessing the role of culture in government
The Edinburgh International Festival has always been notable for ambition and innovation.
At this first ever international summit of cultural ministers, now is a moment to reassess the role that culture can play in tackling some of the principal challenges facing nations across the world.
This year sees the Festival sharing in a remarkable innovation, the world’s first International Summit of Culture
Ministers. It is a pleasure to be asked by the British Council to write a foreword to this
Why culture should be at the heart of efforts to tackle some of the key challenges facing the international community www.britishcouncil.org The British Council has prepared this publication ahead of the world’s first summit of Culture Ministers
– The Edinburgh International Culture Summit – to stimulate debate about the role of culture in government, and the contribution it can make to tackling key international challenges.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Reassessing the role of culture in government
The power of culture
The role of cultural ministries
2
3
4
8
About the British Council
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide.
We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.
Our 7,000 staff in more than 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy-makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes.
We earn over 75 per cent of our annual turnover of nearly £700 million from services which customers pay for, education and development contracts we bid for and from partnerships. A UK government grant provides the remaining 25 per cent. We match every £1 of core public funding with over £3 earned in pursuit of our charitable purpose.
Foreword
Reassessing the role of culture in government
The Edinburgh International Festival has always been notable for ambition and innovation.
At this first ever international summit of cultural ministers, now is a moment to reassess the role that culture can play in tackling some of the principal challenges facing nations across the world.
This year sees the Festival sharing in a remarkable innovation, the world’s first International Summit of Culture
Ministers. It is a pleasure to be asked by the British Council to write a foreword to this