A letter from the British Council Brussels on the UK presidency in their new publication 'Out of ourselves'

Presidencies are usually heralded with six-month celebrations of national culture in the heart of Europe.  We are no exception, but we also wanted to bring you some of the work we have developed over several years with partners and friends in Britain, Brussels and beyond, often tackling some of the most pressing issues facing Europe and its Citizens today.  We wanted not only to celebrate the extraordinary richness and diversity of the arts in Britain, but also to highlight cross-border partnerships that sustain and enrich UK culture.

And so we have come up with ‘Out of Ourselves’ – out of ourselves because it is a programme that brings you some of the best of UK creativity, but also because it looks beyond ourselves to draw inspiration from our fellow Europeans.  We hope that in the following pages you will find plenty to interest, entertain and engage you over the next six months.

Ray Thomas
British Council Brussels