#CultureConnectsUs online festival

Join us for an exciting programme of new theatre, concerts and virtual gallery visits from the comfort of your home!

The British Council’s online festival ‘#CultureConnectsUs’ celebrates the rich cultural friendship between the UK and Japan. It will bring diverse and vibrant work by UK artists and cultural institutions to audiences in Japan digitally. A series of online forums and events will also give artists and arts professionals in both countries the chance to share experiences and explore new collaboration while physical meetings are not possible.

UK arts online UK arts performances available to enjoy online
Voices Interviews, talks and commentary from artists based in Japan and the UK
'#CultureConnectsUs' online festival - a message from our country director
Partners, content contributors

Text reading UK Disabled Artist Showcase layered on a photo of person wearing a glove-form wearable device holds their hands in the air as if playing a piano

#CultureConnectsUs UK Disabled Artist Showcase

A showcase of five UK based disabled artists and their work.

Black and white shoulder-up photograph of female playing a clarinet

'Curious-er' (Sonia Allori) – A showcase of UK based disabled artists and their work

Sonia Allori is a musician, composer, performer and community music therapist who is based in the Scottish Highlands.

Shoulder-up photograph of a man wearing a black trilby hat and looking down

'2049' (Dike Okoh) – A showcase of UK based disabled artists and their work

Dike Okoh is a musician, music producer and singer-songwriter based in London.

Upper-body side-view photograph of a man looking towards his hands raised above his head

'Koi No Yokan' (Kris Halpin) – A showcase of UK based disabled artists and their work

Kris Halpin (Dyskinetic), the creator of ‘Koi No Yokan’, is a singer-songwriter based in the UK.

Five men and women sitting or standing on the floor or in wheelchairs, facing forward

‘Artificial Things’ (Stopgap Dance Company) – A showcase of UK based disabled artists and their work

Stopgap Dance Company is an UK based dance company that creates work with disabled and non-disabled people.

A female wearing white stands looking upwards on a darkened stage

‘Scored in Silence’ (Chisato Minamimura) – A showcase of UK based disabled artists and their work

Chisato Minamimura is a London-based performance artist.

Special talk: The future of museums and galleries – looking beyond the era of Covid-19

Dr. Gabriele Finaldi, Director, National Gallery, London and Mami Kataoka, Director, Mori Art Museum discuss the future of museums and galleries, looking beyond the era of Covid-19.

Opera ‘A Dream of Armageddon’: special talk by Kazushi Ono, Dai Fujikura and Harry Ross (video archive)

To celebrate the world premiere of 'A Dream of Armageddon', Kazushi Ono, Dai Fujikura and Harry Ross joined us for a special online talk.

Christine Riding, the Jacob Rothschild Head of the Curatorial Department at the National Gallery, London, talking about Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers"

Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London: online guided exhibition tour

Christine Riding from London's National Gallery guides us through highlights of the exhibition "Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London" currently touring Japan.

Waist up photo of Philharmonia Orchestra Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor Esa-Pekka Salonen conductting the Orchestra on stage

Philharmonia Orchestra: Philharmonia Sessions – Beethoven’s Prometheus

Tags: Music

Enjoy music from the Philharmonia, a world-class symphony orchestra online.

Date: Friday 04 December 2020 to Friday 30 April 2021

A scene from Amadeus. Lucian Msamati as Antonio Salieri at the centre of the stage, with musicians in the background.

National Theatre at Home

Tags: Theatre, Dance

A streaming service with unforgettable British theatre for you to watch any time, anywhere.

Date: Tuesday 01 December 2020 to Thursday 30 September 2021