British Council Scotland

27/04/2026

Ahead of the Scotland + Venice 2026 presentation for the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, we hear from artists Bugarin + Castle about their practice and upcoming presentation in Venice, Shame Parade.

Curated by Mount Stuart Glasgow-based Bugarin + Castle will present a multi-layered new project that uses the concept of the parade as a lens to explore complex emotional legacies of shame, sound and voice.

British Council Scotland is part of the Scotland + Venice partnership, alongside Creative Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland, Architecture and Design Scotland - A&DS, V&A Dundee and The Scottish Government

Shame Parade by Bugarin + Castle, curated by Mount Stuart Trust for Scotland + Venice Olivolo, Castello 59/C 30122, Venice
Saturday 9 May to Sunday 22 November 2026

Film by Nat McGowan | Second Camera: Jen Martin | Titles: Tangent

Titles audio: Soundtrack by Ken Santos for Bugarin + Castle, Submit to Sound, 2026, Moving Image, Courtesy the Artists and Scotland + Venice © Bugarin + Castle

Film © Scotland + Venice 2026

23/04/2026

Today the British Council Scotland team visited St John Paul II School in Castlemilk, Glasgow to launch our new classroom resource pack for schools to mark this summer’s Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games 🏅

It’s full of interactive activities for young people aged 7-11 and celebrates the return of the Games to Glasgow from 23 July - 2 August and the work of the Commonwealth to improve the lives of its citizens.

The pack is produced in partnership with Youth Sport Trust and part of the Glasgow 2026 Schools Programme. It's inspired by All In – the nationwide call to action for this year’s Games, inviting communities to celebrate the Games in their own ‘altogether brilliant way’.

The resource is free to download and teachers can use it to help young people feel connected to the Games, their local community, country and the wider Commonwealth.

Teacher Jacqueline Hart and her pupils tried out some of the activities with gymnast Cameron Lynn and Glasgow 2026’s official mascot Finnie! 🦄

To find out more and download the pack visit: https://www.britishcouncil.org/commonwealth-games-2026-classroom-resource-pack

15/04/2026

The British Council is proud to be taking on the role of the UK’s National Agency for Erasmus+.

We’re looking forward to working with partners across Scotland to unlock new opportunities for learners, educators and organisations 🌍

Erasmus+ has a proven track record of changing lives – opening up international experiences, building skills and confidence, and nurturing global citizenship.

Between 2014–2020, Scotland received around €142 million in funding, supporting activity across higher education, schools, vocational training, youth and adult education.

Find out more and stay up to date: https://ow.ly/xAIw50YwKir

23/03/2026

🎉 Yes! Five Films For Freedom 2026 is now LIVE!

🌈 Dive into our selection of five free-to-watch films from 2026 – five powerful stories of love, confusion, courage and resolve from across the globe – and stand in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities fighting for freedom around the world. ⚧️✨

👀 Which film will you watch first? 👇

🎞️ I Hate Helen (UK) – directed by Katie Lambert
🎞️ Rag Dolls (USA / Mexico) – directed by Amy Adler
🎞️ Room 206 (France) – directed by Laurie Bisceglia
🎞️ Sweat (Mô Hôi) (Vietnam) – directed by Edward Nguyen
🎞️ Theo (Brazil) – directed by Monica Palazzo and Jo Galvv

🙌 Join the global celebration of LGBTQIA+ storytelling, in collaboration with Flare .

🔗 Watch now:
www.britishcouncil.org/five-films

13/03/2026

Find your voice and explore the power of public speaking.

11/03/2026

11/03/2026

Last week, together with Creative Scotland, we supported a delegation of Scottish artists and cultural leaders visiting Istanbul, connecting with the city’s vibrant cultural community and strengthening creative links with Türkiye.

The visit brought together seven leaders from across Scotland’s creative sector for a dynamic programme of cultural visits, conversations and exchanges with artists, organisations and institutions across the city. From independent theatre and contemporary dance to film and visual arts, the programme created space to share ideas, build relationships and explore future collaborations.

The delegation also marked International Women’s Day with a special screening programme at Beykoz Kundura, celebrating the legacy of Scottish women documentary makers and reflecting on the visibility of women in documentary cinema history.

Building on the legacy of the Momentum programme, the visit created opportunities to exchange ideas, deepen relationships and explore future collaborations between Scotland and Türkiye’s creative sectors.

🔗 More: https://www.britishcouncil.org.tr/en/programmes/arts/scotland-delegation-turkiye

06/03/2026

Schools in Scotland📢Applications to host a language assistant are now open!

Speakers of French, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese & Spanish, they can inspire your students and boost their language learning.

Apply by 30 April 👇
https://www.britishcouncil.org/school-resources/employ-language-assistant

25/02/2026

On the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, pupils at Sandaig Primary School in Glasgow are connecting with a school in West-Ukraine through our UK-Ukraine Schools partnership programme. Find out how they’re getting on 👇

Read more about how schools across Scotland are connecting with Ukraine. Schools have until March 2nd to apply for the programme: https://scotland.britishcouncil.org/about/press/scottish-schools-connect-ukraine-through-reading-partnership

24/02/2026

Four years on from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, schools across Scotland are building lasting friendships with Ukrainian classmates through our UK-Ukraine School Partnerships programme 🇺🇦🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

At Elgin Academy in Moray and Papa Westray primary in Orkney pupils are connecting with partner schools in Ukraine through shared reading, creative projects and regular online exchanges.

Funded by the UK Government, the programme is helping young people develop empathy, resilience, and global awareness — showing how education can build hope and understanding across borders.

👉Read more about the programme and the schools' projects connecting with Ukraine here: https://scotland.britishcouncil.org/about/press/scottish-schools-connect-ukraine-through-reading-partnership

18/02/2026

🌟The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo opens in Aotearoa New Zealand today!

Accompanying this landmark visit - and first time in Auckland- is a special Scotland-New Zealand connection.

When Alison Leauanae’s great-grandfather left the Scottish Borders for New Zealand in the early 1900s, he carried his heritage with him across the world. More than a century later, that heritage lives on, stitched into Alison’s intricate hand-worked cotton on paper, where Pacific textile traditions meet the patterns of her Scottish ancestry.

For Mitchell Manuel, the thread runs through 1980s Māngere, in Auckland where as a child he watched pipe bands march. Now a digital artist, he weaves his Clan Brown tartan colours with koru motifs, tracing a family story that stretches back into Scottish history.

Curated by British Council New Zealand, Woven Histories is a special pop-up exhibition at the famous Rugby ground Eden Park, presented alongside the Tattoo’s Auckland debut. Two New Zealand-based artists. Two stories tracing back to Scotland. Histories, beautifully woven together. 🌿

📍 World Cup Lounge, Eden Park | 19–21 February

Images:

1. Alison Leaunae credit Anna Briggs
2. Plaid Pua 117, 2021, Cotton hand-stitched and woven on paper by Alison Leaunae.
3. Mitchell Manuel
4. Te Potae (helmet) - Bascinet made from Koru with the Clan Campbell tartan by Mitchell Manuel.

UK in New Zealand

Eden Park Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo