The Brazilian Ministry of Culture and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with Arts Council England and the British Council, have announced the first phase of a new cultural knowledge exchange programme between the two countries.

Pontos de Contato/Points of Contact will entail reciprocal learning visits between arts organisations, policy makers and funders in the two countries: there will be a learning visit to Brazil in March 2010 and a reciprocal visit to the UK in July, followed by a seminar in London in September that will discuss issues arising from the visits and explore what has been learned. A report will then be published by People's Palace Projects, an arts organisation based at Queen Mary, University of London.

The Brazilian Ministry of Culture and People’s Palace Projects are currently identifying potential participant arts organisations in Brazil and the UK.

It is hoped that Points of Contact will be the beginning of an ongoing cultural exchange programme.

For further information please contact Eleanor Hutchins of the British Council on 020 73894981 or eleanor.hutchins@britishcouncil.org

Source: British Council and Embassy of Brazil in London