The museum and theatre sectors in both the UK and China are developing rapidly as they adapt to new audiences, new technologies and new economic contexts. Cultural collaboration is increasingly on the agenda, as institutions in both countries recognise that sharing best practice can enrich the sectors as a whole.

This work has been commissioned by UKTI (now called Department for International Trade), funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’ s China Prosperity Fund and carried out by BOP Consulting, to explore opportunities for collaboration between the UK and China in these sectors. There is evidence of both interest and mutual opportunity, with a number of successful projects already in progress.

Although there are challenges, particularly for smaller institutions which may lack international reach or experience, we believe that these are surmountable with knowledge and cultural sensitivity. It is the differences between the two countries, as much as the similarities, that will make collaboration fruitful, helping to open up new perspectives and new possibilities for both China and the UK.