Culture Connects aims to link UK cultural professionals and organisations with their international peers and audiences by enabling connection and networking, providing intelligence, catalysing and facilitating creative collaborations, showcasing, and touring. Creative Economy on the other hand, connects ideas and experience from the UK with emerging global cultural leadership.
This programme builds networks and supports collaboration for long term impact, mutual benefit, and greater international understanding. It encompasses activities such as capacity building, training, awards, international hubs exchanges, conferences, networking sessions, research, and more. Meanwhile, Culture Responds to Global Challenges focuses on the transformative power of arts and culture by recognising its potential to challenge and change mindsets for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
As the interest in climate change and consumptive economic models increases, the British Council also perceives it as a challenge to conquer. The British Council is actively working to deal with challenges to global peace and prosperity in a number of ways, and in consideration of their commitment to the arts sector, they seek to utilise it as a means of advocating for environmental sustainability.
Altermatter, as the main project in British Council’s Culture Responds to Global Challenges programme, is a material-centred design workshop between Indonesian and UK artists with experience in material development and product design. This workshop series is organised in collaboration with CAST Foundation, Playo, and Applied Arts Scotland.
Following an online workshop, the artists will conduct a residency throughout 18–27 October in Bandung, Indonesia to develop everyday products using alternative materials. At the end of the programme, they will be able to present and showcase their product modelling concepts. This British Council programme strengthens economic, social, and cultural development through learning and access.
Camelia Harahap, Head of Arts of British Council Indonesia, emphasised, “British Council Indonesia believes that arts and crafts need alternative approaches that promote and are mindful of environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability. This is supported by Indonesian designers and artists’ interest in repurposing existing materials and developing new materials for their crafts using biomaterial and alternative material, in which Altermatter emerges as our response.”
Bartłomiej Urbański, UK’s Altermatter Programme Participant, believes that Altermatter is a forward-thinking initiative that addresses the growing global need for sustainable and eco-friendly design practices that can lead to the development of new, amazing, environmentally friendly materials and design solutions with potentials to leave a lasting impact on the industry.
“Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. The global plastic crisis and other environmental challenges demand our attention and action. Designers have a unique role to play in this battle, as they are the creators of the products that shape our world,” stated Bartłomiej Urbański.
British Council Indonesia, with their extensive history of supporting Indonesia’s arts and cultural programmes, aims to keep honouring their commitment to the development of the art industry in Indonesia. This is showcased in their ongoing programme which promotes and seeds exciting arts and cultural exchanges in hopes of broadening the dynamic connections between UK and Indonesian arts and cultural sector, namely Connections through Culture.
