Diplomatic History through Art: Exploring the UK's Collection

On September 16 and 17, the United Kingdom's Foreign & Commonwealth Office will have an open house where members of the public can explore some of the vast collection of government art housed at the office in central London. The collection uses art as a form of cultural diplomacy and seeks to reveal some of Britain's diplomatic history; according to curator Dr. Laura Popoviciu, "The collection promotes British art. It selects works which have a strong connection with the host country, either through the artist or the subject of the work." Popoviciu also stresses the importance of the art collection as a whole, noting that “art’s major role in cultural diplomacy is to strengthen relationships. It can act as a talking point and sets the scene for important dialogue.”

The full video is available on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's YouTube channel. For more information about attending the open house, visit the FCO's website here.