Our arts work in Europe

The British Council has been working in Europe since 1937. We support UK and European artists and organisations by promoting cultural exchange and sharing best practices. 

Our Arts programme in Europe tackles global issues and promotes diversity and inclusion across the sector – from our groundbreaking disability arts projects to our work with museums spanning social impact, decolonialisation, human rights, digital transformation and climate emergency. 

We work across the whole EU region, with a focus on France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, Romania and Ireland.

The British Council commissions the British Pavilion exhibition at the Venice Biennale, and our Venice Fellowships programme offers students, artists and architects the opportunity to spend a month in Venice during the Biennale.

In March we launched the UK/France Spotlight on Culture, a celebration of the Franco-British relationship through arts and culture as part of the Cultural Olympiad for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.