UK/Ukraine Season of Culture
The UK/Ukraine Season of Culture was a collaborative initiative between the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute.
It took place from June 2022 to June 2023 and featured artist residencies, talks, film, music, literature, drama and dance.
Over 40 projects were held in more than 20 cities across the UK, most of them face to face but some online.
A new focus
Originally intended to celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and strengthen cultural connections, the Season's theme of 'Future Reimagined' shifted its focus due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The emphasis was placed on addressing the changed needs and priorities of the Ukrainian cultural sector. The Season became the platform that amplified the Ukrainian cultural and artistic voice in the UK.
'Our ambition was clear when we launched the Season: we wanted it to be a symbol of solidarity with Ukraine, and of the importance of culture and people-to-people connections in this the most challenging of circumstances.'
Our partners
The Season involved 76 key partners, comprising 27 Ukrainian arts and cultural organisations and 49 organisations from the United Kingdom.
In total, 2,445 artists and cultural professionals collaborated on the Season's projects.
The Season's programme featured such highlights as the 'Chornobyldorf' multimedia opera at hcmf//, the audiovisual installation “Discover Ukraine: Bits Destroyed” at the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, the tour of the play 'Cassandra' in Oxford and Cambridge, and the Ukrainian Film Month in various UK cities. These events, along with others, received over 630 media mentions, reaching an audience of 190 million people in both the UK and Ukraine.
The Season's events drew an in-person audience of 57,337 attendees, complemented by an online viewership of 591,544.
'We have enjoyed working together and found that through collaboration we have come up with new projects which can extend our work in the Season. Our partners have been fantastic in opening up new opportunities for us.'
Anastasiia Verlinska, Programme Director, Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Arts Festival
The Season has a dedicated website with more information about the Season's programme of activities, including details about partners, locations, and the event timeline. Moreover, many projects have produced interactive media content that remains accessible to everyone.
'The most valuable lesson however that we take away from it though is the important role that artists can play as cultural ambassadors on the world stage in times of conflict. …It’s equally important that we now think about and work with cultural partners in Ukraine to do what we can to ensure that artists can equally play an important role in the rebuilding of Ukraine post-conflict'
Learn more about the Season in our report. It includes participants’ interviews and reflections.
Find out more
Discover more about cultural exchange between the UK and Ukraine by visiting British Council Ukraine.
Stay in touch
Follow British Council Ukraine on Instagram and Facebook for the latest events and project updates.
Explore highlights from the Season on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag: #UKUASeason.
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