International Activity Case Studies for Arts Council England

International Activity Case Studies For Arts Council England

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International Activity Case Studies For Arts Council England Prepared by TBR’s Creative & Cultural Team

Enquiries about this report can be addressed to: Martin Houghton, Project Director Sam Nair, Project Manager

02 November 2016

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ...... 2 2. THEME ONE: FINANCIAL MOTIVATION...... 5 3. THEME TWO: ARTISTIC MOTIVATION ...... 7 4. THEME THREE: PARTNERSHIPS ...... 8 5. THEME FOUR: ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING MARKETS ...... 10 6. THEME FIVE: SUCCESSES AND BARRIERS ...... 13 7. CONCLUSIONS: LESSONS LEARNED ...... 16

Introduction

1. Introduction The five thematic case studies contained in this report formed part of a wider research project commissioned by Arts Council England (ACE), which sought to understand the extent and nature of arts and cultural organisations’ international activities and their impact on financial and non-financial outputs.

Twelve National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) known to deliver international activity were selected and interviewed about their approach and experiences of international working. These organisations represented a cross-section of ACE’s NPOs and, as such, were based in different regions, focused on different art forms, constituted different sizes of organisation and levels of experience. Table 1 (below) provides an overview of the organisations that participated.

The aim of the interviews was to capture rich, qualitative information about those organisations’ international activities and to explore their, potentially, different experiences thereby complementing and adding colour to the quantitative data collected from a sector-wide survey.

The five thematic case studies cover:  Financial motivation for undertaking international work;  Artistic motivation for undertaking international work;  Establishing and sustaining international partnerships;  Maintaining established markets and developing new ones;  Celebrating success and overcoming barriers. Table 1: Overview of arts and cultural organisations informing the case studies Organisation Art Form Location Highlights from international work Name FutureEverything Digital North FutureEverything is an innovation lab for digital culture, which hosts an annual festival. In 2015, the FutureEverything Singapore Festival1 was launched, a partnership between FutureEverything and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). This was the flagship digital culture component of SG50, a yearlong celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of Singapore. Manchester Combined North The MIF is an artist-led festival, which commissions and International Arts presents new works from across the spectrum of performing Festival (MIF) arts, visual arts and popular culture. Tree of Codes2, one of its leading international productions, is a contemporary ballet and will travel to Paris, Miami, Athens and London in 2016. Writers’ Centre Literature South Writers’ Centre Norwich is a literature development agency Norwich East based in Norwich, England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. The Centre runs an International Literature Showcase3 in partnership with the British Council and Arts Council England. The showcase assists writers and industry professionals developing new international collaborations and supports new touring work nationally and internationally. Hofesh Shechter Dance South HSC is a major international touring dance company. In 2014- Company (HSC) East 15, it delivered 49 international performances, reaching

1 http://futureeverything.org/projects/futureeverything-singapore/ 2 http://www.mif.co.uk/event/tree-of-codes 3 http://www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk/searchresults-all/testils.aspx © TBR Page 2

Introduction

audiences of 40,000. The company has toured extensively in Europe, visiting cities as diverse as Seville, Dresden, Marseille and Oslo. It has also toured in Canada, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia and India4. New Art Visual Midlands NAE is a contemporary arts space in Nottingham that Exchange (NAE) Arts celebrates the region's cultural richness and diversity. It presents artists on various key international platforms including TED Global5 and has supported artists such as Hetain Patel, and Zineb Sedira. Crafts Council Visual London The Crafts Council is the national development agency for Arts contemporary crafts. It delivers a programme of international showcasing. Since 2013, the Council has taken makers to Design Days Dubai6, a leading crafts fair in the Middle East and South Asia. In 2016-17, the Council will take selected UK-based makers to showcase during major design fairs in Miami and Basel7. Contemporary Dance London The Place is one of UK’s premiere centre for contemporary Dance Trust dance training, creation and performance. Choreoroam (The Place) Europe8, one of its most successful international projects, was a choreography research project, supported by the European Union Culture Programme9 and delivered with key European partners. London Music London The LPO has several long term touring relationships in Europe, Philharmonic performing, for example, between 15 and 20 concerts a year Orchestra (LPO) in Germany. The LPO visits New York every year and alternates playing at Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Centre. In 2016, the LPO will play at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Moscow. British Music London BU works with export ready music-makers to help them Underground maximize opportunities at international showcases and (BU) conferences. Their international events are either developed from scratch such as the Bass Culture Clash10 in Brazil or fit into already established festivals such as Folk Alliance International11 in Kansas City or World Music Expo (WOMEX) in Europe12. Wildworks Combined South Wildworks’ productions mix theatre, ritual, film, music, visual Arts West arts and movement. These productions are toured in diverse locations across the world including Palestine, Cyprus, Brussels, Kosovo and Tunisia13. Kneehigh Theatre South Kneehigh is a UK based theatre company with a local, national West and international profile14. Over the past 10 years the company has developed its international touring programme and has visited places as diverse as New Zealand, America, Australia,

4 http://www.hofesh.co.uk/tour-dates/previous 5 https://www.ted.com/attend/conferences/tedglobal 6 http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/design-days-dubai-2016/ 7 http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/international-showcasing/ 8 https://choreoroameurope.wordpress.com 9 http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/culture/index_en.php 10 http://britishunderground.net/basscultureclash/ 11 http://www.folk.org 12 http://www.womex.com 13 http://wildworks.biz/about/our-process/ 14 http://www.kneehigh.co.uk/list/international-touring.php © TBR Page 3

Introduction

and South America. The company has established strong relationships with a number of venues in America including St Ann’s Warehouse in NYC, Berkeley Rep and The Guthrie in Minneapolis. Royal Theatre Midlands In 2016, the RSC embarked on a programme of international Shakespeare cultural, artistic and educational exchange with China15. The Company (RSC) RSC has an existing partnership with the Ohio State University, promoting the appreciation of Shakespeare throughout the international community by training teachers and graduate students across Ohio16.

15 https://www.rsc.org.uk/press/releases/rsc-in-china 16 https://shakespeare.osu.edu

Theme One: Financial Motivation

2. Theme One: Financial Motivation Money is not the only motivator The interviews have found that many NPOs’ international work is not financially motivated. Other factors drive them to tour or showcase their work abroad. These include artistic excellence and development, and audience engagement. “International work is complex: we may need to start out from a cultural position before we can move on to something that’s more economically advantageous.” Crafts Council “Often financial elements are emphasised in international work but what gets lost is the message that the quality of one’s work is improved or enhanced through international partnerships…you discover new ways of seeing and doing things.” FutureEverything International work diversifies income However, against a backdrop of reduced public spending, NPOs are expected to be developing more resilient, adaptable and sustainable business models. It follows that diversifying their income streams has become more important, and that international projects, collaborations and co-productions may represent a useful source of revenue and income generation. At the very least, some NPOs are coming to recognise that that international work should be self-sustaining and form a greater part of their overall income strategy. “From an organisational point of view, international projects represent diversity in the company’s income streams and have improved the company’s financial sustainability…ACE provides 6% of our core funding…the rest of our income comes from projects including international.” FutureEverything “International touring is successful in that it contributes on average 41% of our annual turnover. In 2014-15, it generated 78% of our earned income (as opposed to contributed income).” Hofesh Shechter Company “…cuts in our ACE grant…meant that we needed to double our international touring to generate income. We’ve become much more aggressive about working overseas.” London Philharmonic Orchestra “We recognise the potential to sell our products internationally and generate income from our workshops and other kinds of activities. This would be really useful in securing our sustainability…we’re looking at the best business model for implementing this.” Writers’ Centre Norwich “For us, [international] projects have to be far more commercial. We need to sell works and bring some money back into the Crafts Council. We have moved a long way from being able to automatically subsidise our international initiatives. Nowadays, we need to address reductions in spending and generate positive benefits from projects.” Crafts Council International work isn’t always financially lucrative Several NPOs indicate that despite their international work receiving both critical and audience acclaim, it is often a loss leader. “Shows on Broadway do not often make profits. Some of our recent American tours received positive critical reception, and artistically were huge successes, they did not generate surplus income for us.” Royal Shakespeare Company Many NPOs found that, at best, their international work broke even and did not always generate a profit. “[Our recent international work] generated some income, which meant that while we didn’t make a profit, we recovered our investment.” New Art Exchange

Theme One: Financial Motivation

International deals often need careful structuring NPOs are aware of the financial risks of undertaking international activities. Some are more concerned to protect themselves against such risks than others. “International deals need to be negotiated so that your company doesn’t lose money. You should never lose money from international work. Breaking even is OK but there should never be a financial loss…any financial rewards we gain from international touring is offset against our UK losses…this allows us to continue to take risks in the UK and not feel constrained by financial issues.” Kneehigh

Theme Two: Artistic Motivation

3. Theme Two: Artistic Motivation Audiences are king Undertaking international work enables NPOs to take their work to different countries and engage with diverse audiences. Attracting a positive response and extending their audience base are often considered to be key measures of success. Some NPOs claim that their productions generated more resonance abroad than at home. Many reflect on the unexpected ways in which international audiences respond to their work: this is considered an especially enriching aspect of international work.

“We took our production of Cymbeline to the Bogota festival and to Brazil. The response from the audience was amazing…it was like a rock concert. The production’s themes around hostage taking and kidnapping had resonance with the audiences in these countries. Such a response was unexpected and it was rewarding to see audiences engage so positively with the work.” Kneehigh “Our production, Monkey: Journey to the West…was a new form of opera, which brought together different artists working across different art forms in innovative and creative ways, and the work translated well with different audiences internationally.” Wildworks Artistic excellence motivates The potential to extend their artistic excellence motivates many NPOs to work overseas. Working with local talent, for example, extends the artistic opportunities open to them.

“Exposure to international markets, clients, funders, and cultures helps improve the quality of our work…” FutureEverything “Going to other countries informs our work and helps us think differently…it broadens the impact of our work, leading to innovation and diversity… we offer other countries innovative quality work, and we are proud to be able to do so.” Kneehigh “We sent a team of artists to the West Bank (Palestine)…we tend to perform in places that are undergoing social and political change and transformation and where people have been severely affected…The Palestine project was small overall in terms of scale/audience but artistically/culturally it had a huge impact.” Wildworks Critical acclaim matters

NPOs also describe one of the attractions of international work as the opportunity to push the boundaries of critical acclaim.

“Success for British Underground is reflected…in the profile and effectiveness of the showcasing stages we produce as a whole…The Brazilian Government highlighted our project [Bass Culture Clash] as one of their best cultural export projects of the year.” British Underground Quality must translate across borders

Quality of work is crucial to NPOs generating, if not maintaining, their international reputations. NPOs emphasise the importance they attach to that.

“The quality of work has also been crucial. It has broad international appeal, particularly in France.” Hofesh Shechter Company “We never compromise on quality. We ensure we take quality abroad at all times. We work hard and invest resources into ensuring quality productions across the world - we export the very same standard of work as we would present in Stratford.” Royal Shakespeare Company

Theme Three: Partnerships

4. Theme Three: Partnerships No international work without partnerships

The consensus amongst NPOs interviewed is that their international work would be impossible were it not for partnerships. Partnerships are essential for international success.

“It is possible to create internationally regarded work without partners, but it is difficult to call yourself ‘international’ without that work involving international artists/partners and then being seen internationally - we need partners to work with us to do that.” Manchester International Festival “You couldn’t do anything internationally without partners.” Wildworks “Partnerships are not added-value or additional - they are pivotal. Without them, international touring for RSC simply would not happen.” Royal Shakespeare Company Partnerships serve different purposes NPOs’ international partnerships serve different purposes. Some are primarily financial and represent cash or in-kind investments; some are driven by a joint artistic vision; others are about enhancing skills and learning. In general, NPOs interviewed consider that partnerships are most beneficial when they:

 Help attract investment, generate income or develop into longer-term co-production arrangements;  Add value to the NPO’s work, albeit through programme management assistance and/or access to facilities, students or new artistic talent;  Provide an introduction to established networks and markets;  Support the NPOs with practical advice and services on the ground - UKTI and British Council were cited as examples of this;  Offer PR, social media, marketing and communications support;  Enrich company learning through peer-to-peer sharing and artistic exchange;  Provide access to local specialist knowledge. A range of partnerships are needed to succeed NPOs report having formed a wide range of international partnerships including those with: co-producers; specific sector support agencies; educational institutions, learning and community outreach providers; corporate sponsors (such as banks and businesses); diplomatic and governmental agencies; new venues; artists; festivals; agents; commissioners; cultural networks; international festivals; and promoters.

“There are two European networks that are useful to us: the European Dancehouse Network and Aerowaves…we also have our own Creative Europe-funded project, Pivot Dance, with three partners.” Contemporary Dance Trust (The Place) “We have developed relationships with Berkeley Rep and St Ann’s Warehouse in New York. These relationships have grown and have opened up opportunities. Berkeley Rep has invested in us and become a co-production partner.” Kneehigh “We have several partnerships: the GREAT British Campaign 2015: The Year of Mexico in the UK and the UK in Mexico; the American Friends of the London Philharmonic Orchestra; our partners in Paris, Frankfurt and Barcelona; our agents in the US, Germany, China and Asia; our diplomatic contacts and our relationships with several festivals around the world.” London Philharmonic Orchestra “We have corporate partners who include UKTI; funding partners, for example, Performing Rights Society (PRS), with whom we work very closely; we work co-operatively with all the UK’s national agencies - Creative Scotland, Wales Arts International, Creative Ireland and, of course, ACE. We

Theme Three: Partnerships

have formal contractual partnerships with a series of events including Folk Alliance International. Americana Music Association, SXSW and WOMEX.” British Underground “[We have been]…enabled… to build up a network of organisations, and to work with education partners including the American University, University of Bahrain and the Women Workers project.” Crafts Council “Embassies and consulates are also important [partners] as are other arts organisations, publishers, UNESCO Cities of Literature and our networks.” Writers’ Centre Norwich “MIF touring commissions…have been seen at venues and festivals as diverse as English National Opera, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Art Basel, Sydney, Luminato and Abu Dhabi, and the next few years will see commissions from MIF11, MIF13 and MIF15 travel to Germany, China (Shanghai), Argentina and the USA.” Manchester International Festival Partnerships established in different ways

NPOs seek out partners and establish relationships with them in a number of different ways. Typically, these include:

 Informal and formal networking;  Referrals from existing partners;  Staff on the ground in specific countries;  Effective research and development;  Being in the right place at the right time;  Attending global events or forums or conferences;  Responding to invitations from foreign organisations.

Partnership development needs more support NPOs interviewed reflect on the time needed to develop and nurture international partnerships. This is often compromised by the fact that they do not have insufficient capacity and resources. Many NPOs emphasise needing more support to pursue and develop partnerships. Some refer to the pressures they are under to establish partnerships quickly; others describe how support for international work tends to be seen through a prism of short-term impacts. Many subscribe to the view that support agencies should recognise that international work is more of a slow burn.

Theme Four: Established and Emerging Markets

5. Theme Four: Established and Emerging Markets Some markets are more established than others NPOs identify a number of markets where they already have established working relationships and an existing track record in touring, or showcasing, their work. These appear to include the United States, Europe, and Australia. This suggests that a shared language, if not shared values, and relatively straightforward logistics are important. “Europe is straightforward, in particular Germany and the Netherlands. It’s easier partly because we’ve done it for longer; partly because it’s closer; we know the people; we know the concert halls and so it’s pretty successful. However, there are challenges - especially the exchange rate, which can be very volatile and may change even while you’re working.” London Philharmonic Orchestra “We do a lot of work in the USA. It’s the biggest market for British music and has a highly developed network of events that are very supportive and cater for the genres we work in.” British Underground “France, Italy, Germany have been straightforward [to work in], once tax arrangements are understood. The depth of our relationships and number of partners in those countries has increased.” Hofesh Shechter Company “It’s easy working in Europe: we know our partners in person; we can travel easily; we meet with them; we even bump into them sometimes; and it’s very easy to build relationships. Culturally, there aren’t great differences between us.” Contemporary Dance Trust (The Place) “We have previously worked in the US, New Zealand, Australia...The US is a very lucrative market for us and we have good relationships developed there.” Kneehigh “Work in America, Australia and Ireland has been straightforward as there is a shared culture and language. Values are similar as are processes and systems.” Royal Shakespeare Company “We have better working relationships in countries with some cultural resonance (Europe, for example - Germany, France, Spain, Italy.) These countries ‘get us’ - we have shared aesthetic values and cultural norms.” FutureEverything Some markets are more emerging than others NPOs identify a number of emerging markets where they might look to secure artistic collaborations in the future. Those most frequently referred to include: South East Asia, China, Japan, Korea and South America. However, for the time being, collaborations with these countries are likely to be problematic because of: difficulties with customs; increased red tape and bureaucracy; language and cultural differences; political instability, economic volatility; and recession.

“We would be interested in developing opportunities in West Africa; Caribbean; Japan; China; South Korea and the Nordics. Our work is essentially project-based, and we know that there is a lot of interest in the kinds of music that we promote in certain places. We have worked in Japan in the past, and know that there’s a great demand there for British music, but we need to find a way in. The same is true of South Korea. We feel that working in China would be absolutely extraordinary.” British Underground “We have partners in South Korea through Craft Trend Fair, Seoul, and with UK Trade and Investment and the World Crafts Council, which promotes, encourages, helps, and advises craftspeople throughout the world. We regard South Korea as a very positive relationship but culturally complex. It’s hard for us to understand precisely what they want from our partnership, and we sometimes feel that we may give more than we intended because they have relatively underdeveloped markets.” Crafts Council

Theme Four: Established and Emerging Markets

“China, Hong Kong, India and Mexico are key markets for us. A greater presence in those territories could help HSC enhance its sustainability and extend its geographical reach in order to identify and nurture partnerships. Given our dynamic operating environment, we are wary of assumptions about existing markets and are focussed on developing new ones.” Hofesh Shechter Company “South America has a really rich tradition of music and dance. Organisations are focused on exchanges with the rest of the world and building partnerships around contemporary dance. There’s a considerable political will for this to happen. South East Asia is a growth area for relationships. There are more opportunities and possibilities there. So, it’s really about our investing time to find the best relationships.” Contemporary Dance Trust (The Place) “Certainly, India and China have huge potential for us. We haven’t done much so far. And, of course, there’s Africa: the African Art Fair takes place after Frieze and it seems to be growing... We’re also looking at the Far East including Korea. However, we haven’t really pursued the MINT countries yet - Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey - and wouldn’t do so for their own sake.” New Art Exchange “Our focus has been on South East Asia, where we have established robust partnerships in Singapore and Japan. Our experience suggests that it’s possible to engage in those partnerships meaningfully, and that they are artistically good. We also have good relations with Eastern Europe. We’ve had less good working relationships in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. The problems relate to the total lack of resources, funding, organisations on the ground, language barriers and the economics more generally.” Writers’ Centre Norwich Some NPOs have, however, already developed partnerships in countries as diverse as: Kosovo, Palestine, Malta, Iceland, Tunisia, West Africa, Egypt, Russia. These countries have not been strategically selected – the partnerships represent one-off opportunities that have emerged organically.

Important to play an ambassadorial role in all markets

Whether they are engaging with established or emerging markets, the NPOs interviewed are unanimous that when they work abroad they regard themselves as ambassadors for UK arts and culture, as well as for their own regions, and companies. As such, maintaining the quality of work across borders is essential, and showcasing the best and brightest talent is crucial. Being an ambassador also means being professional at all times. However, due to inadequate resources, some NPOs regret that they are unable to reciprocate the hospitality that they themselves have received.

“We pride ourselves on being ‘cultural ambassadors’ for Cornwall and the UK, which was recognised when we won the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in 2012.” Kneehigh “We take our ambassadorial role very seriously because the UK’s reputation in contemporary music is so strong.” British Underground “We recognise that we represent parts of the literature sector for Great Britain and we want to make the case for cultural exchange. We want the UK to be the go-to-partner for literature.” Writers’ Centre Norwich “The orchestra used to be treated more as a diplomatic tool than, perhaps, it is now. In 1956, we were the first ever-British orchestra to appear in Soviet Russia, and in 1973 were the first Western orchestra to visit China. We are used less for that purpose now. British culture is so prevalent internationally now its diplomatic role is taken for granted.” London Philharmonic Orchestra “We ensure that high quality British art is distributed and we have an ambassadorial role through performance delivery and sharing knowledge through workshops, residencies and participatory work.” Hofesh Shechter Company “Yes MIF is an ambassador – but not just for UK arts but for Manchester too and for the kind of work MIF produces and the ambitions/quality of MIF’s work. Our ambassadorial role does not

Theme Four: Established and Emerging Markets

change how MIF works. MIF always takes a professional approach and this translates/feeds into the ambassadorial role.” Manchester International Festival “Yes we are ambassadors…we’re putting ourselves and our company’s work out there. It’s enriching for your work…putting yourself on the line…the world becomes a bigger place and so does your thinking and creativity. FutureEverything Singapore was the only British contribution to SG50, and was announced by David Cameron in three major policy speeches during his 2015 trade mission to Asia.” FutureEverything “[When abroad]…we are more sensitive to government, more concerned with formalities, and feel obliged to visit educational institutions and visit cultural organisations. We are concerned to make a good impression overall.” Crafts Council

Theme Five: Successes and Barriers

6. Theme Five: Successes and Barriers International success is variously defined Under Theme 1 and 2 (Financial Motivation and Artistic Motivation), NPOs’ measures of success include: financial remuneration; achieving artistic excellence; engaging with audiences; and receiving critical acclaim. Other examples of successful international working include:

“High profile, busy stages and networking events; measurable industry outcomes for partners, artists and UK delegates; strong long-term international partnerships; new corporate and cultural international partnerships; and international media and press.” British Underground

“Appearing in the world’s most prestigious centres; having a presence in the world’s major cities - Berlin, Paris and so on; working with great artists; working on interesting projects, which might be developed specifically for us.” London Philharmonic Orchestra

In general, successful international working is thought to call for:

 Partners and collaborators sharing the same outlook and being like-minded;  A common aesthetic, or artistic vision;  Relationships that have become well-established over time;  NPOs’ ability to conduct site visits and meet partners face-to-face prior to projects taking place;  NPOs receiving good support from the relevant embassy, consulates and/or diplomatic contacts;  NPOs making the effort to understand different cultures and keep an open mind.

Barriers to international success can be difficult to overcome

While NPOs identify a number of practical and artistic barriers when working internationally, these are not felt to be insurmountable and are mainly operational challenges rather than strategic one. These operational challenges include:

Getting the venues right: Some NPOs describe being booked into international venues that are inappropriate for their productions (e.g. the sets do not fit, or the lighting rigs are inadequate to the task required), which compromises the experience for the partners and the audiences.

“Very few theatres are the same shape…this causes difficulties when you are trying to fit a certain set into a constrained space…some international venues have not been right for certain productions so in those few cases the overall experience has been disappointing for us.” Royal Shakespeare Company Red tape/bureaucracy: This can be onerous, time-consuming and stifling, and the resultant administrative burden on NPOs can challenge the success of international working. Visa applications, for example, can take an excessive amount of time to be approved, and may be declined after a prolonged period. Customs can also be problematic. The US and European countries have very different funding procedures and processes compared to the UK, and these can take considerable time to be understood.

“We have to work around what may be commercially or PR-related interests of consulates or government organisations. Some of those, including those in India, are highly bureaucratic and it’s very hard to get decisions made on time. Sometimes the need to progress with a project goes faster than the bureaucratic decision-making processes.” Writers’ Centre Norwich Choosing the right partners: NPOs report difficulties when working with partners and collaborators whom they do not know well, where there is a difference in aesthetic and/or artistic vision, or where insufficient trust exists. Working with too many partners can be problematic, can cause tensions and delays in the delivery of projects, and dilute the artistic vision. Working with multiple partners often causes a distraction from outputs, and over-emphasises the politics of working together. © TBR Page 13

Theme Five: Successes and Barriers

“There was one international project, which was part way between a project, a partnership, and a network. It didn't work well - there were too many partners; it was insufficiently focused on its potential outputs; it was more driven by the politics of working together, and neglected the core strategies of our individual organisations.” Contemporary Dance Trust (The Place) Inadequate planning: International projects are said to have been unsuccessful when insufficient time is invested in planning and insufficient attention is paid to detail. “More advanced planning is needed…this involves communicating effectively and regularly with international partners, visiting them on the ground, planning ahead, allocating the right amount of resources in advance, ensuring that major details are not missed and are addressed before a production opens in other countries/venues…” Manchester International Festival “Planning is key…plan, plan, plan…get the details right.” Kneehigh Currency and exchange rate: Failure to consider currency fluctuations can have a significant impact on project budgets. Contingencies budget are useful for covering unexpected fluctuations. “Exchange rates can act as a barrier…it’s not always straightforward working in Europe…a particular problem we face is currency fluctuation.” London Philharmonic Orchestra Language and communication: Communication can be complicated. Language barriers are a particular challenge. Emails are not always the best way to communicate especially if English is not the partners’ first language. Some NPOs mention needing translators in China to assist them in email writing and with general day-to-day contact.

“You need to visit your key countries and markets. You can’t rely on email. You need to be on the ground in those countries.” FutureEverything “Communication is obviously easier when conducted face-to-face. While Dropbox, Skype, and other digital communication tools are helpful and have their place, it is still better to meet people face- to-face and in situ in their countries and venues. You need to establish rapport. It is also a basic courtesy to meet people in their own environments.” Manchester International Festival “Language was a barrier for us in China. We had to employ two translators. They worked with us on emails and general communications.” Royal Shakespeare Company Cultural differences: NPOs report on a number of cultural differences that they have experienced through their international work. Interpretations of creative work may differ. In some countries, it can take weeks for even small decisions to be made. The fact that partners may invest insufficient planning and organisation in a project can be both frustrating and detrimental to the outcome. Culture differences are not easily overcome or negotiated. There may be stark political differences between the UK and the country being toured/visited. In some cases, NPOs interviewed felt that in certain regions diversity, equality and freedom of speech may be ignored and creative products censored. In short, different countries work to different paradigms. “You may think that everyone understands the same, but it is not necessarily the case. Interpretations differ. Even if English is spoken, there are huge cultural differences between countries: we don’t all think the same way.” London Philharmonic Orchestra “Works speeds can vary. Some countries communicate more slowly. For our project in Tunis, we had to wait longer than anticipated for final decisions. We needed to manage these intercultural differences.” Wildworks “We are concerned with issues of diversity, equality and openness. We have found that we may have to impose partners’ (potentially incompatible) views on our makers. In Dubai, for example, a maker we had successfully showcased before applied to return in 2016 but as her new work was based on body forms, it was not possible to take her.” Crafts Council

Theme Five: Successes and Barriers

Geography: Time zones may mean working unsociable hours, and different countries have different attitudes to certain hours of the day (e.g. siesta, prayer time). “Time zones can be difficult when working internationally – it can lead to some very anti-social hours.” Manchester International Festival Barriers do not necessarily act as an obstacle

While some NPOs are sufficiently strong not to experience barriers to working internationally, this is not true of all. Capacity is an issue for smaller companies trying to work internationally. However, none of the NPOs interviewed regard any of the operational challenges cited above as necessarily obstructing their continuing international work.

“Partners share[ing] similar qualities, and a common aesthetic - being interested in the same kind of art. You tend to get through projects when that’s the case - all obstacles are surmountable.” Contemporary Dance Trust (The Place)

The barriers that they report tend to be project management related, and they identify a number of strategies that might help them address these including:

 More time being invested in planning and organisation.  Despite the cost, face-to-face meetings and site visits are essential in helping to mitigate potential risks in the delivery of projects.  More attention being paid to changes in exchange rates, which might impact on budgets. Increases in contingency budgets may be necessary to account for unexpected fluctuations.  Seeking out local knowledge, and establishing reliable local networks to help identify risks on the ground.

In an ideal world, NPOs would look to more practical support from agencies such as UKTI, British Council and ACE.

Conclusions: Lessons Learned

7. Conclusions: Lessons Learned When asked what lessons they have learned from international working and how they have overcame these practical and artistic difficulties, six key lessons emerge: Artistic motivations are primary The NPOs interviewed indicate that artist motivations are the strongest in informing their decisions to undertake international work. However, NPOs acknowledge that international work can diversify income and is of increasing interest. International working is not always lucrative for NPOs and most international deals have some degree of financial risk. NPOs take care to structure negotiations and deals to minimise the financial risks. When international projects are successful, they support NPOs in developing a more complex organisational mission and in achieving artistic excellence. Plan in detail NPOs interviewed are unanimous that planning in detail is crucial to the success of international work. This includes making preparatory site visits and conducting as many face-to-face meetings as possible. NPOs feel it is important to invest time in understanding project practicalities including visa applications and local laws. NPOs reluctantly acknowledge that excessive bureaucracy is a fact of life when working internationally, and they have to be prepared to deal with detailed governmental and administrative requirements. It is also essential to undertake proper financial planning, ensuring realistic budgets that covered the costs. NPOs recognise that more attention must be paid to exchange rates and how these might affect budgets - however, there is always potential to work creatively within budgets. When working internationally, it is always better to provide as much detailed information as possible to partners so misunderstandings can be averted. NPOs plan for longer-term relationships (where practical) and recognise that international work is a slow burner. Maintaining relationships effectively It is easier to maintain relationships with partners when previous projects have been delivered well, creating confidence in the relationship, and when partner expectations have been effectively managed e.g. not overpromising, only delivering what is affordable. NPOs agree that the personal factor is key. Although costly, face-to-face meetings and site visits are seen as essential and help maintain more productive relationships. Generating trust is a key part of developing international partnerships. Strong relationship building requires flexibility and is seen as a longer-term strategy. Leaving a legacy behind in other countries/local communities helps aid relationship maintenance. Relationships can also be maintained through informal knowledge exchange. Where face-to-face communication is not possible, digital technology should be utilised fully (e.g. Skype, Google Hangout). Choose the right partners NPOs interviewed are unanimous that successful international work is only possible through partnerships. Developing networks on the ground and utilising local knowledge is essential. Partners should always be kept to a manageable number, and the right partnership team has to be assembled to ensure the right dynamics and chemistry. It is also important to regularly refresh and check-in with your international partners - people move on and organisations change their creative ambitions. Embrace differences The NPOs interviewed universally agree that it is important to embrace cultural differences. Producers need to understand how different cultures do business. Language does not always have to be a barrier and finding a shared language is crucial. Soaking up different cultures and embracing alien ways of doing things can lead to creative innovation. Learning to go with the flow, allowing projects to go in unexpected directions, usually results in the NPOs having an enriching international experience. However, it is recognised that cultural differences can be difficult to overcome and can inhibit the desire to work with certain partners in the future.

Conclusions: Lessons Learned

Expect the unexpected Being prepared to improvise is perceived as an important aspect of international work. As different countries work to different paradigms, things do not always go to plan. Working internationally is often a steep learning curve as there are no existing toolkits, case studies or templates. A ‘one-size-fits-all’ attitude is not deemed appropriate for international work. NPOs learn to develop flexibility and adaptability, and to keep an open mind. In order to achieve success overseas, preconceptions about other countries and cultures have to be put to one side. When asked what practical measures ACE might consider to support international work, NPOs interviewed suggested the following:  Small-scale capital grants to support on-going international partnership work;  The continuation of grants focusing on artistic excellence, but encompassing an international element;  Recruitment of ACE officers to support NPOs on the ground in key regions and markets. This might contribute to ACE’s own understanding of the pragmatics of international work. It was said to be sometimes very hard to communicate the issues involved through standard reporting procedures.  Investment for NPOs to attend key markets;  Investment for NPOs to attend relevant networking events;  Investment to enable NPOs to take advantage of international invitations;  Investment to allow Senior Management Team (SMT) members at NPOs to attend advance site-visits;  Investment to support NPOs to carry out protracted/more complex international negotiations;  Investment in international research and development (R&D);  Ring-fence funds for international work as part of NPOs’ financial agreements.