UK/Australia Season 2021–22

A joint initiative by the British Council and the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to strengthen and build cultural connections.

Close of image of a dark skinned woman looking away from the camera. She is wearing a maroon coloured head scarf and her face is painted teal with white dots, her lips are painted peach and her eyelids are painted in blue

Atong Atem, Sahara, 2020, courtesy of the artist and MARS Gallery

Atong Atem, Sahara, 2020, courtesy of the artist and MARS Gallery

A landmark cultural exchange between the UK and Australia

Under the theme 'Who are we now?', the UK/Australia Season reflected on our history, explored our current relationship, and imagined our future together.

The Season took place across Australia and the United Kingdom, between 2021 and 2022, incorporating live and digital events spanning theatre, film, visual arts, dance, design, architecture, music, literature, higher education, training and a public engagement programme.

The Season Directors were Helen Salmon: UK in Australia Programme and Michael Napthali: Australia in the UK Programme.

Download key findings from the evaluation report (PDF)
Download the full evaluation report (PDF)

Kin, courtesy Renaissance One. Photo Lyndon Douglas

Kin, courtesy Renaissance One. Photo Lyndon Douglas

View the highlights from the UK/AU Season below

1,707 UK and Australia organisations and artists connected

277 events across the UK and Australia

775,523 in-person audience engagement

80,000+ online audience engagement

a black and white grainy landscape photograph of a male wearing a big jacket and a beanie.  The distant landscape is behind him and he his looking down as his hands grab a fish out of a net.

Bait, Still Image of Neil

Bait, Still Image of Neil

Addressing global challenges


The Season provided a platform for artists and thinkers to unite around climate and the environment.

‘Climate Crisis and the Arts’, an all-day event as part of the Adelaide Festival, fostered discussions on climate action, sustainability, and storytelling, where arts and sciences converged. This collaboration between Adelaide Festival, Julie’s Bicycle, British Council and the Australia Council for the Arts advanced successful climate initiatives, bridging the gap between the UK and Australia.

The climate crisis theme was explored throughout the Season. For example, Sydney Biennale engaged seven UK artists who explored our relationship to rivers. They also created a competition for sustainable materials for touring, in partnership with Cicada Innovations.

Australian artist Keg de Souza's site-specific installation, 'Shipping Roots,' as part of Climate House at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh drew on their collections, weaving tales of eucalyptus, prickly pear, and 'alien' seeds. It connected Australia, India, and the UK, reflecting her Goan heritage and her experiences as a settler on Gadigal land.

a bright coloured image of an installation view of Keg De Souza's work Blue Haze. The photograph shows greenery hanigng from the roof, while textured fabric is draped across a gallery space.

Keg de Souza, Blue Haze (2023) Installation view in Inverleith House Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Photo Ruth Clark.

Keg de Souza, Blue Haze (2023) Installation view in Inverleith House Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Photo Ruth Clark.

Creating new opportunities


The Season created fresh opportunities and premieres for artists to be presented across both countries.

'Counting and Cracking' written by S. Shakthidharan had 22 performances at the Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Birmingham Rep. Approximately 6,000 people attended the show in both cities, enhancing Belvoir St Theatre's international reputation as a theatre producer of compelling and thought-provoking work.

The play follows four generations of a family, from Colombo to Pendle Hill, in a captivating narrative about Australia as a haven, Sri Lanka's efforts to stay united, and the process of reconciliation within families, countries, and across generations.

Another UK premiere was 'Fresh Water – Salt Water,' a bilateral collaboration between the Australian Art Orchestra and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival to commission and present four new works by Australian and UK composers performed in both countries. The ensemble featured Yolngu traditional songmen, David Wilfred and Daniel Wilfred from Arnhem Land (NT), along with an ensemble of leading Australian musicians in creative collaboration with British composer/performers Mandhira de Saram and Cath Roberts.

We also witnessed Chineke!'s first-ever tour to Australia, during which they commissioned fresh compositions from William Barton and Deborah Cheetham AO. These pieces were premiered at the Adelaide Festival, and then later showcased at the Edinburgh Festival.

Two South Asian women are facing each other mid speech. On the left is a younger woman wearing a pink sari and on the right is an older woman with grey hair with her hands gesturing in the face of the younger woman.

Belvoir Theatre, Counting and Cracking. Image credit: Brett Boardman

Belvoir Theatre, Counting and Cracking. Image credit: Brett Boardman

Reconnecting through digital

Part of the Season was delivered digitally during the Covid-19 venue closures. The program provided valuable programming offerings and engaging content when stages were left dark.

The UK/Australia Digital Season featured 24 digital films showcasing diverse voices and art forms, available for free.

The Sydney Opera House and British Council collaborated to present an exciting season of fresh digital performances by UK artists and arts organisations.

Notably, it marked the Sydney Opera House's first digital channel presentation of exclusively international artists, introducing 'international digital touring' as a new model of presentation alongside live touring.

A digital image of artist Benji Ra kneeling on rocks with the background of a waterfall. She is looking down with her hands across her naked body displaying colourful tattoos

In Muva We Trust, Bhenji Ra

In Muva We Trust, Bhenji Ra

Made in Birmingham/Made in Sydney

One groundbreaking digital project was Made in Birmingham/Made in Sydney by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney and Ikon in Birmingham, UK.

It brought together two new commissioned artworks by Fijian-Australian artist Salote Tawale and British-Pakistani artist Osman Yousefzada that explored questions of identity and belonging.

A still captured mid movement of the artist Salote Tawale, captured under water. The water is light green with the sun shining throw and the outline of a body dipped in the ocean with their head above water.

Salote TawaleYOU, ME, ME, YOU (still), 2022. Video, colour, sound. Commissioned by Ikon, Birmingham and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2022. Courtesy and © the artist

Salote TawaleYOU, ME, ME, YOU (still), 2022. Video, colour, sound. Commissioned by Ikon, Birmingham and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2022. Courtesy and © the artist

Online leadership

The Season provided opportunities for the arts sector to continue to build connections across the UK and Australia. This happened through a vibrant array of digitally accessible, knowledge-sharing initiatives.

For example, Access Arts partnered with Sync UK to deliver an online leadership programme for eight disabled or d/Deaf Australian participants.

Sync Leadership is a disabled-led programme exploring d/Deaf and disabled arts leadership, founded in 2008 by Sarah Pickthall and Jo Verrent, two disabled leaders based in the UK.

Group sessions and one-to-one coaching encouraged participants to reflect on their leadership potential in relation to their lived experience of disability.

The programme supported their growth to become a network of strong resilient leaders within Australia’s cultural sector.

Art et al. also produced a series of innovative curatorial projects and inclusive programming to further develop the practices of neurodivergent, intellectually and learning disabled artists in the UK and Australia.

There were also two international in-person exhibitions in Melbourne and London featuring British and Australian artists.

“Artists with disability are underrepresented in leadership roles where decisions about employment, programming and representational practice are made.

It's refreshing to introduce the dynamics of disability-led thinking from the UK to sector professionals in the Australian arts industry.”
Project Leader

Watch the trailer below to see some of the companies featured in the UK/AU Digital Season:

AEA_Alasdair McLuckie, Landscape 03 (The Snail), 2021, Archival Inkjet Print on Paper, 21 x 30 cm. Courtesy the Artist and Art et al.

AEA_Alasdair McLuckie, Landscape 03 (The Snail), 2021, Archival Inkjet Print on Paper, 21 x 30 cm. Courtesy the Artist and Art et al.

Explore the full list of UK/Australia Season events

With thanks to...

Our patrons and ambassadors

Royal patron

Her Late Majesty The Queen

Our board of patrons

Sir Lloyd Dorfman CBE Co-Chair
David Gonski AC Co-Chair
Nicholas Allott OBE
Georgina Black
George Brandis KC
Catherine Brenner
Tom Dery AO
Peter Flavel
Dr Peter Goode
Lord Glendonbrook CBE
Sir Michael Hintze GCSG AM
Kathy Lette
Michael Lynch CBE AO
Sam Meers AO
Simon Mordant AO
Bill Muirhead AM
Allan Myers AC KC
Dick Porter
Her Excellency Vicki Treadell CMG MVO
Geoffrey Winters
Lynette Wood

Our ambassadors

Cate Blanchett AC
Dame Darcey Bussell DBE
Rudi Dharmalingam
Professor Bernardine Evaristo OBE
The Late Barry Humphries AO CBE
Dr Gaye Sculthorpe

EOI grant selection committee

Adelaide Bannerman
Ruth Fabby MBE
Tobi Kyeremateng
Claire Malcolm MBE
Cian Smyth
Jenny Waldman CBE

Neil Armfield AO
Wesley Enoch AM
Millie Millgate

"photograph of a building, The Photographers' Gallery, and Soho Photography Quarter around showcasing Christian thompson in London

Christian Thompson AO: Being Human Human Being, Soho Photography Quarter © Luke Hayes

Christian Thompson AO: Being Human Human Being, Soho Photography Quarter © Luke Hayes

A landscape image of two Ben sitting across each other in the middle of an outdoor market. They are both holding onto a bookA landscape image of two Ben sitting across each other in the middle of an outdoor market. They are both holding onto a book

Brian Connolly. Market Stall. Trhovisko Zilinska Market Bratislava 2016. Image: Erica Hudcovicova (2016)

Brian Connolly. Market Stall. Trhovisko Zilinska Market Bratislava 2016. Image: Erica Hudcovicova (2016)

A landscape image of a woman playing the violin

Chineke RFH, Credit: Chris Christodoulou

Chineke RFH, Credit: Chris Christodoulou

Belvoir St Theatre, Counting And Cracking. Credit: Brett Boardman

Belvoir St Theatre, Counting And Cracking. Credit: Brett Boardman

An image of two men looking away from the camera

Fresh Water Salt Water, Daniel and David Wilfred. Credit: Sarah Walker

Fresh Water Salt Water, Daniel and David Wilfred. Credit: Sarah Walker

An image of Joelle Taylor sitting on a chair dressed in a suit looking past the camera.

Joelle Taylor. Credit: Out-Spoken

Joelle Taylor. Credit: Out-Spoken

Portrait of Travis Alabanza, the background is cream and they are looking directly at the camera with red lipstick. They are wearing a headpiece with three burgers on top

Burgerz, Travis Alabanza. Credit: Elise Rose

Burgerz, Travis Alabanza. Credit: Elise Rose

Climate Crisis & The Arts, Courtesy of Adelaide Festival

Climate Crisis & The Arts, Courtesy of Adelaide Festival

Aakash Odedra Workshop, Credit: Sean Goldthorpe

Aakash Odedra Workshop, Credit: Sean Goldthorpe

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"photograph of a building, The Photographers' Gallery, and Soho Photography Quarter around showcasing Christian thompson in London

Christian Thompson AO: Being Human Human Being, Soho Photography Quarter © Luke Hayes

Christian Thompson AO: Being Human Human Being, Soho Photography Quarter © Luke Hayes

A landscape image of two Ben sitting across each other in the middle of an outdoor market. They are both holding onto a bookA landscape image of two Ben sitting across each other in the middle of an outdoor market. They are both holding onto a book

Brian Connolly. Market Stall. Trhovisko Zilinska Market Bratislava 2016. Image: Erica Hudcovicova (2016)

Brian Connolly. Market Stall. Trhovisko Zilinska Market Bratislava 2016. Image: Erica Hudcovicova (2016)

A landscape image of a woman playing the violin

Chineke RFH, Credit: Chris Christodoulou

Chineke RFH, Credit: Chris Christodoulou

Belvoir St Theatre, Counting And Cracking. Credit: Brett Boardman

Belvoir St Theatre, Counting And Cracking. Credit: Brett Boardman

An image of two men looking away from the camera

Fresh Water Salt Water, Daniel and David Wilfred. Credit: Sarah Walker

Fresh Water Salt Water, Daniel and David Wilfred. Credit: Sarah Walker

An image of Joelle Taylor sitting on a chair dressed in a suit looking past the camera.

Joelle Taylor. Credit: Out-Spoken

Joelle Taylor. Credit: Out-Spoken

Portrait of Travis Alabanza, the background is cream and they are looking directly at the camera with red lipstick. They are wearing a headpiece with three burgers on top

Burgerz, Travis Alabanza. Credit: Elise Rose

Burgerz, Travis Alabanza. Credit: Elise Rose

Climate Crisis & The Arts, Courtesy of Adelaide Festival

Climate Crisis & The Arts, Courtesy of Adelaide Festival

Aakash Odedra Workshop, Credit: Sean Goldthorpe

Aakash Odedra Workshop, Credit: Sean Goldthorpe

Find out more

Discover more about cultural exchange between the UK and Australia by visiting the British Council Australia.

Explore highlights from the Season on Instagram #UKAUSeason.

Follow British Council Australia on Instagram for the latest events and project updates.

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