Closure of the British Council in Russia

[BeauxArts]

Today we have the news of the response of the Russian Government to the political aftermath of the "Salisbury incident" (I paraphrase, of course..). Diplomatic expulsions aside, it is extremely dispiriting  that as part of the Russian response the British Council has been ordered to close.  We must surely hope that art  will eventually prevail over politics, but no doubt there will be casualties in the world of culture, including ballet... the ENB in Moscow in June 2019 comes to mind.

 

Here is a summary of the invaluable work of the Council in Russia which shows why the loss will be as keenly felt there as probably here.

 

https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/policy-insight-research/cultural-relationship-russia

[MAX]

and what about english dancers in russian companies ? 

[Bruce Wall]

I don't think that the ENB - or Bolshoi - or indeed May Malay Theatre Company tours will be impacted by the closure of the British Council.  Not specifically by that. The days of substantive British Council tours are LONG gone; They are WAY in the past.  The companies mentioned will have negotiated directly with the sponsors/venues (if they are not one and the same).  They would all be playing against guarantee I'm sure.  The fiscal risk/potential gain is taken by the presenters independently.  The British Council - on that score - would not come into the picture - apart from supportive verbiage.  British Councils no longer have money.  They still, in the current climate, - after all is said and done - represent a largely 'debtor' nation.  

 

More troubling would be, say, were the UK to pull out or help stymie the World Cup.  Then I'm sure immigration would rapidly come into the frame.  Visas would be at risk - and - on such a move- even things like satellite permits for cinema broadcasts would be at peril from either side.  However, these would be bigger fiscal items - and would focus more substantive pain in the proverbial pocket - much more certainly than any more symbolic closure.  That, too, is why it can be actioned so very quickly.  There would be VERY different voices calling out for the protection of those I have mentioned than, say, the loss of the British Council as unfortunate as it may be for those Russians taking its English Classes, etc.  ....  and, of course, for those ex-pats and/or indeed Russians (the laws concerning British Councils having changed from the past) in its employ.  The ex-pats will simply come home to a country where - as we are often reminded - employment (and I, of course, use the word loosely) is at a record high.  

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by Bruce Wall

[zxDaveM]

39 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

 

More troubling would be, say, were the UK to pull out or help stymie the World Cup.  

 

 

Just to be pedantic, the UK is not in the World Cup - England are. Wales, Scotland and N Ireland have already boycotted it, by not qualifying  ;-)

[LinMM]

Hopefully as long as we don't start penalising Russian dancers here they won't start not renewing visas for our dancers/ students there.

i could be not very complimentary to a certain Mr Putin but will refrain!

[LinMM]

Oh and the Bolshoi were due here in summer 2019.

 

I am hoping it will gradually settle down especially if the two victims manage to survive ....hoping  they will of course ( and it is very lucky in fact that there were not more serious casualties in this case) 

It would be interesting to know how the people feel who were in that Zizzi's that afternoon. We have had a drink in that pub in the garden bit at the front a few times now when passing through Salisbury. 

But let's hope there are no more attempted politically motivated murders. It's all a terrible shame but we can't just do nothing when it does happen.