Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, arts and cultural organisations around the UK are currently closed. In response, many UK artists and institutions such as theatres, museums, galleries, festivals and venues are releasing their work digitally so they can be accessed online, and expanding their digital engagement with audiences via social media and other online tools. Below is a list of such programmes that are available to enjoy and/or participate in, for free. 

EXPLORE UK CULTURE THROUGH VIDEOS 

Learn more about UK art and culture through our short videos. Our very own online platform, The English Channel, offers a variety of film, music and lifestyle videos combined with interactive activities for improving your English.

VISIT A DIGITAL EXHIBITION 

Almost there is our newest digital exhibition that features the works of artists from Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UK. Visit the exhibition and explore what it means to be human in the modern world.

EXPLORE THE BRITISH COUNCIL COLLECTION 

The British Council Collection consists of art created by a number of world-renowned artists including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Bridget Riley, Gilbert and George, Anish Kapoor, Mona Hatoum, Damien Hirst and many more. The Collection demonstrates the very best in contemporary British practice across different art forms, from painting and sculpture to printmaking, photography, installation and new media. 

Theatre and dance

  • Complicité: The Encounter -The Encounter, directed and performed by Simon McBurney will be available online from 19.00 on 15 May to 22.00 on 22 May 2020 (BST).
  • English National Ballet: ENBat HOME - A digital programme including advanced/professional ballet classes, family dance workshops and a release of an stage production every Wednesday available on demand for 48 hours (Wednesday Watch Party).
  • Royal Court Theatre: Cyprus Avenue - Award-winning play by David Ireland, mixing live capture of performance from the iconic Royal Court Theatre stage production with location shooting in Belfast. Available until Sunday 31 May 2020.
  • Royal Shakespeare Company - A streaming of RSC productions via a 30-day trial with Marquee TV, an on-demand streaming service for arts and culture.
  • Shakespeare's Globe -A streaming of six performances shown for free via YouTube, one at a time, on rotation every two weeks.
  • Streetwise Opera: The Passion - A recording of an abridged version of Bach’s iconic oratorio St Matthew Passion, with Streetwise Opera and The Sixteen, directed by Penny Woolcock and a final chorus with music by Sir James MacMillan and lyrics by participants in Streetwise Opera's workshops in Manchester. 
  • Tricky Hat: HOME , STAYING IN - A short film created by Scottish theatre company Tricky Hat in collaboration with The Flames, a performance company for people age 50+, in Scotland and Japan. 

Music

  • British Council: Selector Radio - Selecting the best UK music every week and sharing it with the world. Jazz, grime, indie or electronica – or somewhere in between – each week we put together a truly eclectic playlist and catch up with the artists and labels who are leading the way in UK music. 
  • London Symphony Orchestra: Always Playing - Join the LSO online for a programme of full-length concerts twice a week, artist interviews, playlists for home, activities to keep young music fans busy and more.

Museums and galleries

  • Tate Modern: Andy Warhol - Watch the curator's tour and explore the exhibition "Andy Warhol" (12 March - 6 September 2020) room by room.
  • Armchair Gallery app - A free app by City Arts that allows older people, and those who support them, to enjoy the life changing benefits of art. For iPad and Android Tablets.

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