Not a Welshcake...
As an appendix to the two diary posts about Tehran, I thought I’d point anyone interested towards some links and create a bit of context in the process.
Of course, Iran is very much in the news at the moment. Alongside commentary on the new tone being set by President Obama and anxiety about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, it is also thirty years since the Iranian Revolution that established Iran as an Islamic theocratic state. This Saturday (February 7th), the BBC begins a new series entitled “Iran and The West.” It is made by the producer Norma Percy, who produced such definitive documentaries as “The Death of Yugoslavia” and “Endgame in Ireland.” Like her previous programmes, Percy’s success lies in persuading those people intimately connected to the events to offer their personal testimony. Apparently, President Carter will talk for the first time about the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran and its effect on his Presidency.
Last Friday (January 30th), the Front Row arts programme on Radio 4 presented a special edition on Iran. It looked at the Percy documentary, “Unveiled – New Art from The Middle East” at Charles Saatchi’s new gallery and offered a report on Neil MacGregor’s visit to Isfahan – one of the country’s most beautiful cities – where The British Museum’s Director has negotiated the loan of treasures for an exhibition about Shah Abbas, the Persian King thought to have re-made Iran in his own image and done most to project its power onto the rest of the world.
A few weeks ago, the BBC also broadcast five short documentaries on Radio 4 entitled “The Flight from Tehran: British-Iranians 30 Years On,” which was a fascinating insight into the legacy of the Revolution in the UK.
Despite the damaging impact of the Iraq war and other military interventions, the bigger picture is that over the last five years the UK has tried to put greater emphasis on “soft power” as a means of engaging with the world. In 2007, Demos published a report entitled Cultural Diplomacy, which successfully articulated its value as an alternative to military power and traditional diplomacy while aligning itself with the UK’s international priorities. However, the main conclusion was that cultural diplomacy should not be an instrumental tool of public diplomacy, but that:
“The value of cultural activity comes precisely from its independence, its freedom and the fact that it represents and connects people, rather than necessarily governments or policy positions.”
It also argued that:
“In the future, alliances are just as likely to be forged along lines of cultural understanding as they are on economic or geographic ones.”
The Demos report cannily built on the aspirations articulated for the first time by the government that culture should have an international dimension that was strategic, especially in the aftermath of the successful bid by the UK to host London 2012 . Having published its International Strategy document in 2006, the UK government followed this with a Progress Report in 2007. Within this framework, Iran has been a priority region for the UK government.
Until recently, DCMS was working on a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance that could have been incredibly productive for both countries. Having run into some political difficulties, negotiations have now broken down as a consequence of the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and Israel’s military intervention. It is all the more remarkable, therefore, that Neil MacGregor has circumvented this breakdown to negotiate an arrangement for the upcoming exhibition about Shah Abbas.
Visiting Arts, as I have already indicated, has had a relationship with Iran for several years and many of us have benefitted from the programmes it has operated. Last December, a benchmark was reached with the Barbican’s Iran: New Voices season and the launch of a Producer’s Forum – a network for professionals to exchange ideas and share experience about developing links with Iran’s theatre artists.
Anybody who would like to know more, or who is interested in taking this work further is welcome to get in touch by leaving a comment.
Not pomegranates...
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Dear Simon,
Thank you so much for transporting me to Tehran in such a fascinating and articulate manner on this rather banal Tuesday afternoon at the office. Your blog is compelling reading and I am touched by the stories of artists who bravely make taboo work, risking their freedom for expression’s sake. It certainly gives you a kick up the backside as to how lucky we are in the UK and the tour booking task that I was dreading this week now looks like a privilege.
I would love to know more about the follow on to this visit, keep posting!!
Carys @ Volcano Theatre Company
Simon,what can I say? I have cried and laughed while reading your diary of your visit to Tehran. I cant tell you how grateful I am to have had the chance to read it and have more of an insight into my fathers country,and the theatre world in Persia. As much as I still get frustrated and do wish that the changes needed would occur in Iran, I still have a sense of fondnesss when I think of their proud ways and the diffrerences in their culture to ours in Britain.
If you have any more involvment out there you know I would love to be part of it. I am still in the process of waiting for my Iranian passport but 20 09 has to be the year I visit.
Best wishes and thanks you
Lisa Zahra