Culture Connects: mapping UK Ireland arts & cultural connections
British Council Ireland commissioned research to explore arts and cultural connections between the UK and Ireland. The research was completed in March 2025. Through a mixed methods study, the research, conducted by Northern-Ireland based Starling Start, will generate knowledge and insight on artists mobility and cultural connection between the UK and Ireland.
This new report makes recommendations for enablers to develop stronger connections and new partnerships in the cultural ecosystem, and it highlights some of the challenges and barriers to respond to. In total, 278 individuals – arts practitioners, cultural producers, artsand cultural policymakers, and representatives of arm's length bodies and strategic cultural organsations – participated in the research through an online survey and semi-structured interviews.
The research found a clear and overwhelming desire by arts and cultural professionals and artists to be involved in collaboration across people, places, and cultures between the UK and Ireland. The recommendations are grouped around policy development (steer), opportunities for strategic collaboration (collaboration), and support for artists and practitioners (support). Find out more here.
Citation
Neely, A., & Morrow, J. for Starling Start (2025). Culture Connects: Mapping UK-Irelandarts & cultural connections. British Council (https://doi.org/10.57884/KJK0-2S65)
Online webinar
On 19th March from 12-1pm (GMT), we hosted an online webinar to discuss key findings and reflections from this new research by British Council Ireland. Researchers Jane Morrow and Amberlea Neely of Starling Start presented findings and reflections from the report on UK Ireland arts and cultural connections.
We were also joined by Rehana Mughal, British Council Director of Creative Economy, one of the organisation's key global arts programmes. Rehana set the research in the context of the priorities of the Creative Economy programme and how this new publication contributes to and presents a new venture in UK Ireland relations in arts and culture. The session was hosted by Kerry McCall Magan, British Council Ireland Country Director. The session was recorded and you can watch it back below. You can also view the powerpoint slides from the session below.