Exclusive:The new British Council Scotland director playing 'matchmaker' between performers and overseas festivals
Claire de Braekeleer has just been named director of British Council Scotland
Scotland has huge potential in generating economic benefits from its arts and culture sector, the newly-appointed head of British Council Scotland has said.
Claire de Braekeleer, who has just been named director of the organisation, said she wanted to work further on "matchmaking" performers and producers in Scotland with international delegations from overseas festivals and governments.
Ms de Braekeleer also revealed that a pilot programme bringing artists to residencies in Scotland from war-torn countries is to be expanded across the UK nations, as well as including artists from three new countries here this year.
She said the Momentum programme, which British Council Scotland runs in partnership with Festivals Edinburgh and Creative Scotland, has brought more than 700 international delegates to Edinburgh to meet with Scottish artists and organisations over the past 14 years. A total of 27 new projects have come out of the 2024 programme alone.
She plans to build on relationships forged during previous roles during her 20 years at the British Council, including in Turkey as regional arts director wider Europe, as director partnerships Egypt, and as deputy director Russia.
Ms de Braekeleer said the scheme was a cultural exchange - about taking Scottish work abroad to be shown at festivals in other countries, but also bringing international work to be shown in Scotland.
“It is about showing that the festivals scene here is obviously such an important part of Scottish cultural identity, in Edinburgh, but also beyond,” she said.
“We’re trying to bring as many international delegates as we can to see that in action. It's about taking those one-on-one, personal relationships and building them into projects and benefiting the sector in terms of internationalising, in terms of economic benefit and the cultural benefit of bringing different stories back into what's going on here.”
In her previous role, Ms Braekeleer was instrumental in creating the British Council’s artist residency programme after having “powerful conversations” with Ukrainian cultural organisations in the year after the Russian invasion.
“Out of that came the idea of trying to develop a residency scheme for artists from Ukraine who were in need of a little space to develop their practice,” she said. “And a real keenness from the Scottish sector side to do something.”
This year, four artists are due to come to Scotland. People from Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine are due to join the Ukrainian delegate in residencies at Scottish venues Moniack Mhor, Cove Park, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and Hospitalfield.
The scheme is also to be rolled out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the first time this year after successful implementation in Scotland.
Ms Braekeleer said: “Our arts residencies, which began with Ukrainian artists in 2023, will welcome creatives from Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine this year, recognising that cultural diplomacy can provide tangible support.”
She added: “Scotland also has a strong presence in the UK-Ukraine school partnerships programme, connecting Scottish pupils with Ukrainian peers through literature, and through our HESPAL programme, we’re supporting Palestinian scholars to study at St Andrews, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee universities.
“These are investments in the individuals who are key voices in representing their countries internationally when times are hard, and who will be critical in rebuilding when conflicts end. This is core to the British Council's mission of supporting peace and prosperity worldwide.”
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