Continuing the cultural dialogue fostered by the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture, the British Council, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Institute, launches the UK/UA Creative Partnerships Programme for 2024.
The initiative aims to deepen connections between arts organisations in Ukraine and the UK.
Three exciting projects are set to unfold in Scotland as part of this program that will see Ukrainian creatives working in collaboration with artists and established arts organisations here through music, literature, performance, film, animation, and visual art.
In 2023, a successful pilot project saw five Ukrainian artists participating in residencies in Scotland. This bespoke program allowed the artists a reprieve from turmoil and an opportunity to reflect on their artistic practices and the future for the Ukrainian art sector.
We visited the residencies across Scotland, through the Future Reimagined programme. The stories feature the artists at Cove Park, Hospitalfield, Moniack Mhor, and Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.
Hear direct from the artists and organisations involved:
Norah Campbell, Head of Arts at British Council Scotland, emphasises the potential of the new UK/Ukraine Scottish projects, saying: “It’s hugely important at this time to allow creatives the space to come together, connect, and spark ideas for the future.
“Over the last two years, we’ve worked with our counterparts and colleagues here in Scotland and Ukraine to build a long-term, supportive connections and it’s fantastic to see projects blossom across the UK with the new creative partnerships programme”.
Lucy Byatt, Director at Hospitalfield who will host a further residency and events project around the theme of Grain this year added: “We’re looking forward to welcoming artists Diana Khalilova and Oleksandr Neselenko at Hospitalfield later this year and continuing our collaboration with curator Kateryna Rusetska from Kultura Medialna.
“Our shared theme of agriculture is important for communities in Ukraine, here in Scotland, and the whole globe. It’s wonderful to see artists connect with colleagues and the local community here in Arbroath.
“I’ve no doubt that this key part of our international programme will sustain networks and relationships in Scotland and the UK for the longer term.”
Projects in Scotland include:
- Dnipro-Glasgow Residency: A collaboration between Glasgow Based Art Festival Cryptic and the Dnipro International Festival of Audiovisual Art and New Media Construction, will see a unique three-week residency for a Ukrainian sound artist at Cove Park International Residency Centre in March-April, culminating in a performance at the Sonica Festival in September.
- Hospitalfield Collaboration: Agriculture, the countryside, and surrounding political issues will be key themes for a public project and residency programme at Hospitalfield this summer, with Ukrainian artists Diana Khalilova and Oleksandr Neselenko in collaboration with Dnipro-based organisation Kultura Medialna and FEAST Journal. Diana Khalilova will develop a new iteration of her performance project “Public Kitchen” in conversation with the people and context of Arbroath and Angus, while Olesandr Neselenko will continue his research and artistic practice on the impact of the war on the agricultural sector.
- New Voices from Ukraine and Scotland: A hybrid program of online events and a two-week residency at Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre, fostering cooperation between emerging authors from Ukraine and Scotland, facilitated by PEN Ukraine, StAnza Poetry Festival, and Moniack Mhor.
The Scottish projects were named alongside 11 other partnerships between arts organisations in Ukraine and the UK.
Find out more about the UK/Ukraine Creative Partnerships programme.
The project continues the British Council’s work in building trust and understanding through arts, education and the English language.