Publications

Didgah: new perspectives

on UK-Iran cultural relations
The word didgah in Persian or Farsi means
vision, opinion and view. In this collection,
15 authors, living in both Iran and the UK,
share their didgah of cultural relations
between the UK and Iran. They measure
the power of cultural relations in bringing
greater understanding between our two
countries, and through that, trust.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

English Language Teaching

in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
Innovations, Trends, and Challenges
A unique overview of English Language
Teaching (ELT) in Iran with analysis of
policy and practice. The publication
covers the history and role of of ELT in
Iran, and current innovations, trends and
challenges across the education system
as a whole.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

MODERN POETRY
IN TR ANSL ATION

British Council https://schoolsonline.

britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources
Freely available for all primary schools
Nowruz, Persian New Year
Education Pack for Schools
Available online from March onwards,
the Nowruz schools pack will bring
Persian New Year to life for primary
school children throughout the country.
Including suggested plans for lessons and
assemblies, the pack will enable teachers
to share with children the traditions and
historical roots of Nowruz, as well as how it
is celebrated today by children and adults
in many different countries throughout
the world.
Partners: Forest Fringe
www.forestfringe.co.uk
Above: An Imaginary Festival
for Rooftops in Tehran and London
14 Iranian and British independent
artists got together through their
imaginations to create a festival of imagined
performances for rooftops, printed on
beautifully designed postcards. The festival
will come to life when audiences exchange
postcards, share ideas with each other and
also find out more about the works and the
artists online.

INTRODUCTION

The cultural connections between

Iran and the UK are rich and deep.
Building on long-standing links and
contemporary collaboration, the
British Councils UK-Iran Season of
Culture will strengthen opportunities
for greater cultural engagement,
improve mutual understanding, and
increase trust.
This season will spotlight the rich
and dynamic culture of the modern
Islamic Republic of Iran, and its ties
with the UK in the areas of arts,
education, and languages, climaxing
in a celebration of Nowruz (Persian
New Year) in March. Through nationwide
exhibitions, performances, discussions,
workshops, and seminars, the UK-Iran
Season of Culture will explore cultural
heritage and vibrant contemporary
creativity, enabling the people of the
UK to experience and re-interpret Iran.

British Council Iran

The season brings together a large

number of high-profile partners for
a series of cultural events and showcases
between January and April 2015.
We invite audiences in the UK and
the Islamic Republic of Iran to
participate in the season through
online engagement and by attending
our events.
For more information please visit
www.britishcouncil.ir/en/underline/
season or contact
ukiranseason@britishcouncil.org
Underline Art Magazine
Underline is a bilingual online
magazine bringing you news, reviews
and critiques on the latest artistic
practices in Iran and the UK.
www.britishcounci.ir/Underline

#IranUKculture

OETRY
ATION
d poetry

Partners: Modern Poetry in Translation,

www.mptmagazine.com
Modern Poetry in Translation:
Focus on Iranian poetry
02 31 Mar 2014
For the Spring issue of Modern Poetry in
Translation, distinguished British and Iranian
translators and poets have collaborated
to present a selection of astonishing
contemporary Iranian poems, many of
which have never been translated into
English before. The magazine cover has
been designed by prominent Iranian
designer Homa Delvaray.
Partners: Magic of Persia Foundation,
www.mopcap.com/curate-archive
Online Residency
Magic of Persia Foundation,
Contemporary Art Prize online
exhibition launch by the end of January.
Available online from the end of January,
CURATE ARCHIVE is an online residency
programme open to artists, curators,
and cultural practitioners across the
globe, providing opportunities for a representation of the extensive Magic of
Persias Contemporary Art Prize archive
through an online platform. Experience
this diverse artistic exhibition online via
the Magic of Persia website.

O NG O ING

MODERN POETRY
IN TR ANSL ATION

Partners: Modern Poetry in Translation,

www.mptmagazine.com
Modern Poetry in Translation:
Focus on Iranian poetry
02 31 Mar 2014
For the Spring issue of Modern Poetry in
Translation, distinguished British and Iranian
translators and poets have collaborated
to present a selection of astonishing
contemporary Iranian poems, many of
which have never been translated into
English before. The magazine cover has
been designed by prominent Iranian
designer Homa Delvaray.

British Council https://schoolsonline.

britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources
Freely available for all primary schools
Nowruz, Persian New Year
Education Pack for Schools
Available online from March onwards,
the Nowruz schools pack will bring
Persian New Year to life for primary
school children throughout the country.
Including suggested plans for lessons and
assemblies, the pack will enable teachers
to share with children the traditions and
historical roots of Nowruz, as well as how it
is celebrated today by children and adults
in many different countries throughout
the world.

Partners: Magic of Persia Foundation,

www.mopcap.com/curate-archive
Online Residency
Magic of Persia Foundation,
Contemporary Art Prize online
exhibition launch by the end of January.
Available online from the end of January,
CURATE ARCHIVE is an online residency
programme open to artists, curators,
and cultural practitioners across the
globe, providing opportunities for a representation of the extensive Magic of
Persias Contemporary Art Prize archive
through an online platform. Experience
this diverse artistic exhibition online via
the Magic of Persia website.

Partners: Forest Fringe

www.forestfringe.co.uk
Above: An Imaginary Festival
for Rooftops in Tehran and London
14 Iranian and British independent
artists got together through their
imaginations to create a festival of imagined
performances for rooftops, printed on
beautifully designed postcards. The festival
will come to life when audiences exchange
postcards, share ideas with each other and
also find out more about the works and the
artists online.

O NG O ING
Publications
Didgah: new perspectives
on UK-Iran cultural relations
The word didgah in Persian or Farsi means
vision, opinion and view. In this collection,
15 authors, living in both Iran and the UK,
share their didgah of cultural relations
between the UK and Iran. They measure
the power of cultural relations in bringing
greater understanding between our two
countries, and through that, trust.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

English Language Teaching

in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
Innovations, Trends, and Challenges
A unique overview of English Language
Teaching (ELT) in Iran with analysis of
policy and practice. The publication
covers the history and role of of ELT in
Iran, and current innovations, trends and
challenges across the education system
as a whole.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

The cultural connections between

Iran and the UK are rich and deep.
Building on long-standing links and
contemporary collaboration, the
British Councils UK-Iran Season of
Culture will strengthen opportunities
for greater cultural engagement,
improve mutual understanding, and
increase trust.

The season brings together a large

number of high-profile partners for
a series of cultural events and showcases
between January and April 2015.
We invite audiences in the UK and
the Islamic Republic of Iran to
participate in the season through
online engagement and by attending
our events.

This season will spotlight the rich

and dynamic culture of the modern
Islamic Republic of Iran, and its ties
with the UK in the areas of arts,
education, and languages, climaxing
in a celebration of Nowruz (Persian
New Year) in March. Through nationwide
exhibitions, performances, discussions,
workshops, and seminars, the UK-Iran
Season of Culture will explore cultural
heritage and vibrant contemporary
creativity, enabling the people of the
UK to experience and re-interpret Iran.

For more information please visit

www.britishcouncil.ir/en/underline/
season or contact
ukiranseason@britishcouncil.org

British Council Iran

Underline Art Magazine

Underline is a bilingual online
magazine bringing you news, reviews
and critiques on the latest artistic
practices in Iran and the UK.
www.britishcounci.ir/Underline

#IranUKculture

ETRY
TION
poetry

INTRODUCTION

MODERN POETRY
IN TR ANSL ATION

Partners: Modern Poetry in Translation,

www.mptmagazine.com
Modern Poetry in Translation:
Focus on Iranian poetry
02 31 Mar 2014
For the Spring issue of Modern Poetry in
Translation, distinguished British and Iranian
translators and poets have collaborated
to present a selection of astonishing
contemporary Iranian poems, many of
which have never been translated into
English before. The magazine cover has
been designed by prominent Iranian
designer Homa Delvaray.

British Council https://schoolsonline.

britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources
Freely available for all primary schools
Nowruz, Persian New Year
Education Pack for Schools
Available online from March onwards,
the Nowruz schools pack will bring
Persian New Year to life for primary
school children throughout the country.
Including suggested plans for lessons and
assemblies, the pack will enable teachers
to share with children the traditions and
historical roots of Nowruz, as well as how it
is celebrated today by children and adults
in many different countries throughout
the world.

Partners: Magic of Persia Foundation,

www.mopcap.com/curate-archive
Online Residency
Magic of Persia Foundation,
Contemporary Art Prize online
exhibition launch by the end of January.
Available online from the end of January,
CURATE ARCHIVE is an online residency
programme open to artists, curators,
and cultural practitioners across the
globe, providing opportunities for a representation of the extensive Magic of
Persias Contemporary Art Prize archive
through an online platform. Experience
this diverse artistic exhibition online via
the Magic of Persia website.

Partners: Forest Fringe

www.forestfringe.co.uk
Above: An Imaginary Festival
for Rooftops in Tehran and London
14 Iranian and British independent
artists got together through their
imaginations to create a festival of imagined
performances for rooftops, printed on
beautifully designed postcards. The festival
will come to life when audiences exchange
postcards, share ideas with each other and
also find out more about the works and the
artists online.

O NG O ING
Publications
Didgah: new perspectives
on UK-Iran cultural relations
The word didgah in Persian or Farsi means
vision, opinion and view. In this collection,
15 authors, living in both Iran and the UK,
share their didgah of cultural relations
between the UK and Iran. They measure
the power of cultural relations in bringing
greater understanding between our two
countries, and through that, trust.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

English Language Teaching

in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
Innovations, Trends, and Challenges
A unique overview of English Language
Teaching (ELT) in Iran with analysis of
policy and practice. The publication
covers the history and role of of ELT in
Iran, and current innovations, trends and
challenges across the education system
as a whole.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

The cultural connections between

Iran and the UK are rich and deep.
Building on long-standing links and
contemporary collaboration, the
British Councils UK-Iran Season of
Culture will strengthen opportunities
for greater cultural engagement,
improve mutual understanding, and
increase trust.

The season brings together a large

number of high-profile partners for
a series of cultural events and showcases
between January and April 2015.
We invite audiences in the UK and
the Islamic Republic of Iran to
participate in the season through
online engagement and by attending
our events.

This season will spotlight the rich

and dynamic culture of the modern
Islamic Republic of Iran, and its ties
with the UK in the areas of arts,
education, and languages, climaxing
in a celebration of Nowruz (Persian
New Year) in March. Through nationwide
exhibitions, performances, discussions,
workshops, and seminars, the UK-Iran
Season of Culture will explore cultural
heritage and vibrant contemporary
creativity, enabling the people of the
UK to experience and re-interpret Iran.

For more information please visit

www.britishcouncil.ir/en/underline/
season or contact
ukiranseason@britishcouncil.org

British Council Iran

Underline Art Magazine

Underline is a bilingual online
magazine bringing you news, reviews
and critiques on the latest artistic
practices in Iran and the UK.
www.britishcounci.ir/Underline

#IranUKculture

ETRY
TION
poetry

INTRODUCTION

Edinburgh Iranian Festival

06 16 Feb 2015,
Venues across Edinburgh
The fourth biennial Edinburgh Iranian
Festival aims to span both Irans rich
traditions and its contemporary cultural life.
The festival will address misconceptions
by introducing Scotland to the heart and
soul of Iran, from its art and music, through
its history and food, and for the first time
in the festivals history its fashion. Come
along to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes
of Iran in Scotland.
Parnters: Edinburgh Iranian Festival
www.ediranfest.co.uk

Iran in Writing: Daljit Nagra

in conversation with leading
Iranian writers
18 February 2015, 18.30 20.00,
British Library, London
How can classical Persian literature unlock
our understanding of life in Iran today? And
who are the contemporary Iranian writers
capturing the rich complexity of daily life
in Tehran and beyond? A passionate reader
of Persian poetry, Daljit Nagra, talks to two
pioneering Iranian writers about how their
work is informed and inspired by the greats
of Persian literature, and what it is like to be
a writer in todays Iran.
Partners: British Library www.bl.uk
Limited tickets available

Art of Improvisation
in Iranian Music
18 February 2015, 18.30 20.00,
Asia House, London
Adib Rostami will begin the evening with
a brief introduction on the importance of
cultural exchange between Iran and the
UK in the contemporary music scene.
This will be followed by an improvisational
performance by the renowned Adib and
Mehdi Rostami, using traditional Iranian
instruments, combined with a contemporary
focus, to reflect the current music scene.
Artists: Adib Rostami & Mehdi Rostami
Partners: Asia House
www.asiahouse.org
Limited tickets available

British Council Iran

#IranUKculture

Master Builders in Qajar Tehran:

The Mirza Akbar Drawings
04 March 2015, 19.00 21.00,
V&A, London
Dr Moya Carey will introduce the V&As
unique archive of nineteenth-century
architectural drawings, part of the Museums
magnificent collections of Iranian art.
Associated with the name Mirza Akbar,
these drawings feature over 200 designs,
plans and sketches, and celebrate the lively
architecture of Qajar Tehran.

UK-Iranian Harmonies:
New Years Jazz
20 Mar 2015, 17.30 19.30,
Southbank Centre, London
UK-Iranian cross cultural collaboration has
thrived in the field of music, and through
jazz has come some unique collaboration
and interpretation. Friday 20 March is
Nowruz, Persian New Years Eve - join us for
an evening of intercultural harmonies and
engaging rhythms, to celebrate the New
Year and the richness of shared cultural ties.

Speaker: Dr Moya Carey

Partners: Victoria and Albert Museum,
Iran Heritage Foundation and
British Institute of Persian Studies
www.vam.ac.uk
Public event

Partners: Southbank Centre

www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Public event

The Spirit of Nowruz exhibition

04 Mar 20 April 2015,
British Council, Spring Gardens, London
To celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year,
and demonstrate the breadth and diversity
of this important global cultural event, the
British Council is curating an exhibition which
captures the spirit, light, and magic of Nowruz
customs, the start of spring, the equinox, and
new beginnings. The exhibition will showcase
photography from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Uzbekistan, Iraq, and Kazakhstan, and
contemporary work in other media including
graphic design, film, and literature.

Women of the World Festival

06 08 Mar 2015,
Southbank Centre, London
As part of the Women of the World Festival,
the British Council will bring an inspirational
Iranian woman at the top of her field to
the UK to join the debates and discussions
at the Southbank Centre. This is the 5th
annual WOW festival.
Partners: Women of the World Festival
wow.southbankcentre.co.uk
Southbank Centre
www.southbankcentre.co.uk

UK-Iranian Harmonies:
UK-Iran First Encounters
20 Mar 2015, 15.00,
Southbank Centre, London
In 1599 Shah Abbas I appointed the
Elizabethan mercenary Sir Anthony Sherley
as ambassador to Persia, with a mission to
create a Shia-Christian alliance against the
Ottomans. This incredible true story forms
the backdrop to Rob Newmans novel The
Trade Secret. In this talk, comedian and
writer Newman uses archive first-hand
accounts to explore how Safavids and
Elizabethans first encountered one another
and how they found they had a surprising
amount in common.
Speakers: Rob Newman
Partners: Southbank Centre
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Public event

Day of Debate & Screenings:

Iranian Cinema After the
Revolution
21 Mar 2015, 10.30 18.30,
Chapter, Cardiff
A celebration of the most magical and
moving Iranian films of the last thirty years,
this spellbinding season begins in Cardiff
on Nowruz, or Persian New Year. To mark
this special date in the Iranian calendar,
filmmakers, critics, journalists and audiences
will come together for a unique event
exploring the golden age of Iranian cinema.
Partners: Wales One World Film Festival
www.wowfilmfestival.com
Limited tickets available

Iranian Cinema After

the Revolution
21 Mar 24 June 2015,
Cinemas across Wales and
the rest of the UK
This season focuses on a generation
of internationally acclaimed Iranian
filmmakers who have opened a window
on contemporary Iran during a time of
great social change.
Filmmakers: Abbas Kiarostami,
Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Bahman Ghobadi,
Samira Makhmalbaf
Films Shown: Where Is the Friends
Home? Bashu, the Little Stranger,
Hamoun, Gabbeh, The Apple, Under
The Skin of The City
Partners: Wales One World Film Festival
www.wowfilmfestival.com
Limited tickets available

JUNCTURES: A day of debate and

provocations exploring innovation
and collaboration across the arts
and sciences
25 March 2015 10.15 20.00,
Cambridge Junction, Cambridge
Programme includes: Peachy Coochy
presentations, Nowruz dinner & Long
Table conversation
Speakers includes: Stefanie Reichelt
(Cancer Research UK), Manick Govinda
(artsadmin), Andy Field (Forest Fringe),
Arvand Dashtaray (Virgule Performing Arts,
Iran ), Mehrdad Seyf (30 Bird), Jo Davis (LIFT)
and Nazli Tabatabi-Khatambakhsh (ZENDEH).
Partners: Produced by 30 Bird in partnership
with the British Council and in collaboration
with ZENDEH, Tickets: 01223 511 511
www.Junction.co.uk/junctures
www.30bird.org, www.zendeh.co.uk

Evolution Art, Design &

Architecture exhibition,
performance and talks
13 24 April,
Asia House, London
Evolution exhibits sustainable and cultural
aspects of historical Iranian architectural
innovation, as well as contemporary art
and architectural scenes of Iran, through
a fusion of architectural design, visually
stunning art work and sculpture, sound
design, and film. Explore the exhibition
and visit for a number of fascinating talks
throughout the exhibitions run.
Speakers: Dr. Susan Babaie, Mehran
Gharleghi, Roxana and Peter Vilk,
Amin Sadeghy and Kamin Mohammadi
Exhibitors: Mania Akbari and Douglas White,
Mehran Gharleghi, Amin Sadeghy, Roxana
and Peter Vilk, Khosrow Hassanzadeh

Land of the Turquoise

Mountains: Journeys Across Iran
23 April 2015, 19.00 21.00,
SOAS, London
For Cyrus Massoudi, a young British-born
Iranian, the country his parents were
forced to flee thirty years ago was a place
wholly unknown to him. Wanting to make
sense of his roots and piece together the
divided, divisive and deeply contradictory
puzzle that is contemporary Iran, he spent
three years travelling across the country,
encountering the Iran behind the headlines.
Here he will share with us, in an illustrated
talk, his extraordinary journey of this
dazzlingly beautiful country with its long
and rich cultural history as well as what it
means to seek out and discover ones heritage.
Speakers: Cyrus Massoudi
Partners: IB. Tauris Publishers,
SOAS Iranian Society
www.ibtauris.com/turquoisemountains
Public event

Publications
Didgah: new perspectives
on UK-Iran cultural relations
The word didgah in Persian or Farsi means
vision, opinion and view. In this collection,
15 authors, living in both Iran and the UK,
share their didgah of cultural relations
between the UK and Iran. They measure
the power of cultural relations in bringing
greater understanding between our two
countries, and through that, trust.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

English Language Teaching

in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
Innovations, Trends, and Challenges
A unique overview of English Language
Teaching (ELT) in Iran with analysis of
policy and practice. The publication
covers the history and role of of ELT in
Iran, and current innovations, trends and
challenges across the education system
as a whole.
British Council Iran www.britishcouncil.ir

MODERN POETRY
IN TR ANSL ATION

British Council https://schoolsonline.

britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources
Freely available for all primary schools
Nowruz, Persian New Year
Education Pack for Schools
Available online from March onwards,
the Nowruz schools pack will bring
Persian New Year to life for primary
school children throughout the country.
Including suggested plans for lessons and
assemblies, the pack will enable teachers
to share with children the traditions and
historical roots of Nowruz, as well as how it
is celebrated today by children and adults
in many different countries throughout
the world.
Partners: Forest Fringe
www.forestfringe.co.uk
Above: An Imaginary Festival
for Rooftops in Tehran and London
14 Iranian and British independent
artists got together through their
imaginations to create a festival of imagined
performances for rooftops, printed on
beautifully designed postcards. The festival
will come to life when audiences exchange
postcards, share ideas with each other and
also find out more about the works and the
artists online.

INTRODUCTION

The cultural connections between

Iran and the UK are rich and deep.
Building on long-standing links and
contemporary collaboration, the
British Councils UK-Iran Season of
Culture will strengthen opportunities
for greater cultural engagement,
improve mutual understanding, and
increase trust.
This season will spotlight the rich
and dynamic culture of the modern
Islamic Republic of Iran, and its ties
with the UK in the areas of arts,
education, and languages, climaxing
in a celebration of Nowruz (Persian
New Year) in March. Through nationwide
exhibitions, performances, discussions,
workshops, and seminars, the UK-Iran
Season of Culture will explore cultural
heritage and vibrant contemporary
creativity, enabling the people of the
UK to experience and re-interpret Iran.

British Council Iran

The season brings together a large

number of high-profile partners for
a series of cultural events and showcases
between January and April 2015.
We invite audiences in the UK and
the Islamic Republic of Iran to
participate in the season through
online engagement and by attending
our events.
For more information please visit
www.britishcouncil.ir/en/underline/
season or contact
ukiranseason@britishcouncil.org
Underline Art Magazine
Underline is a bilingual online
magazine bringing you news, reviews
and critiques on the latest artistic
practices in Iran and the UK.
www.britishcounci.ir/Underline

#IranUKculture

OETRY
ATION
d poetry

Partners: Modern Poetry in Translation,

www.mptmagazine.com
Modern Poetry in Translation:
Focus on Iranian poetry
02 31 Mar 2014
For the Spring issue of Modern Poetry in
Translation, distinguished British and Iranian
translators and poets have collaborated
to present a selection of astonishing
contemporary Iranian poems, many of
which have never been translated into
English before. The magazine cover has
been designed by prominent Iranian
designer Homa Delvaray.
Partners: Magic of Persia Foundation,
www.mopcap.com/curate-archive
Online Residency
Magic of Persia Foundation,
Contemporary Art Prize online
exhibition launch by the end of January.
Available online from the end of January,
CURATE ARCHIVE is an online residency
programme open to artists, curators,
and cultural practitioners across the
globe, providing opportunities for a representation of the extensive Magic of
Persias Contemporary Art Prize archive
through an online platform. Experience
this diverse artistic exhibition online via
the Magic of Persia website.

O NG O ING