“Speak to peoples, speak to young people, overhaul, renew ourselves, do more, engage in outreach. In a word, we must modernize. That means defining innovative models for a diplomacy of influence. For example, in the United Kingdom, where I’ve come from, we’re launching the Lumière ! programme.” – Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
“Lumière ! is a timely and necessary initiative which is part of a drive to give our cultural, scientific and academic diplomacy a new lease of life” – Hélène Duchêne, French Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
This framework programme brings together and spotlights the many artistic, cultural, academic and scientific cooperation activities carried out by the French Embassy in the UK, the Institut français du Royaume-Uni in London, the Institut français d’Ecosse in Edinburgh and the Maison française d’Oxford.
Developed in collaboration with numerous British partners, the programmes also draw on a network of host venues and residencies such as the Maison française, the European Bioinformatics Institute and Churchill College, Cambridge.
Aimed at artists, writers, students, researchers and professionals in the cultural and creative industries, the Lumière ! programme deploys a broad spectrum of provision, detailed here.