Cultural diplomacy - Demos

Cultural Diplomacy
forum for unofficial political relationship-building: it keeps open
negotiating channels with countries where political connections are
in jeopardy, and helps to recalibrate relationships for changing times
with emerging powers such as India and China. In the future,
alliances are just as likely to be forged along lines of cultural
understanding as they are on economic or geographic ones.
The UK has a number of historical advantages in this regard. Our
collections and performing companies are outstanding, we have
highly skilled and respected cultural professionals, we are home to
world-class artists, our culture and heritage act as magnets for
tourism and business, and our creative industries are thriving. The
UK boasts a strong tradition of international cultural exchange
through the British Council’s presence around the globe, and also via
the dense global networks of our national cultural institutions and
diaspora communities. From 2008, the eyes of the world will be on
London as it begins its Olympiad ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.
This provides a unique and extended opportunity to showcase our
cultural standing and to elaborate an understanding of the value of
UK cultural diplomacy for a new era.
The UK cannot afford to rest on its cultural laurels. Investment in
our cultural organisations and infrastructure must be on a par with
that of the US and our European neighbours. We must create more
mechanisms for engaging cultural institutions and professionals in
the policy-making process so that we do not miss important opportunities.
We must coordinate our efforts. Our research highlights
a wealth of examples of good practice, but it suggests that the UK
needs a more strategic and systematic approach to cultural
diplomacy. In particular, with China and India placing increasing
emphasis on culture in their approaches to cultural diplomacy, the
UK must revisit its own attitudes and commitments to the power of
this medium.
This report does not argue that culture should be used as a tool of
public diplomacy. The value of cultural activity comes precisely from
its independence, its freedom and the fact that it represents and
connects people, rather than necessarily governments or policy
12 Demos