Visiting Arts exists to strengthen intercultural understanding through the arts. Its work links England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with countries overseas prioritised by the Board. Its broad range of activities and services include information and research, advisory work, professional development, artist and arts organisation development and grant funding.

Visiting Arts was formed in 1977 as a joint venture of the Arts Council of Great Britain, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British Council and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. In April 2001 it became an educational charity legally independent of the British Council and in March 2003 it moved into central London premises of its own. It is funded by Arts Council England, the Scottish Arts Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Arts Council of Wales, the British Council, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is the creator of the Cultural Profiles project (http://www.culturalprofiles.org.uk).

Visiting Arts is an independent educational charity with an independent Board chaired by Professor Sir Gordon Conway.

Visiting Arts' work with Việt Nam has been extensive. The project 'Arts Management Curriculum Development in the Context of a Market Economy', managed by Visiting Arts on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) from 2000 until 2004, helped the Vietnamese arts sector engage more fully with the growing market economy. In recent years too, Visiting Arts has sought to develop interest in contemporary Vietnamese arts within the UK; in 2003, for example, Nguyễn Minh Thành was selected for Visiting Arts’ International Fellowship Programme, enabling him to work for nine months at Delfina Studios in London.

Practical information:

A range of online practical information resources for those wanting to bring work into the UK from overseas:

An online resource where UK-based programmers and curators can exchange information about overseas artists that they are planning or considering to bring to the UK for projects involving presentation, collaboration or residencies. This resource is designed as a networking and information tool that will enable programmers and curators to present international arts more efficiently in the UK.

A unique online information resource of over 1000 artists and performers from geographical regions such as Asia, Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe who have previously presented their work in Europe. Developed by the House of World Cultures, Intercult, Visiting Arts, the Danish Center for Culture and Development and the Baltic Sea Culture Centre with the support of the Culture 2000 programme of the European Union, the site also has a page of useful links to similar resources.

Information about Visiting Arts’ activities and funded projects that have taken place or are upcoming in the United Kingdom.