British Council presents Creative Convergence: Growth Reimagined; explores the future of India’s creative economy
Kolkata, 30th October 2025: British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, today announced the launch of Creative Convergence: Growth Reimagined, a two-day gathering that will bring together India and the UK’s leading voices in arts, culture, and enterprise to shape the future of the creative economy. Taking place on 5 and 6 November 2025 at the Bangalore International Centre, the inaugural edition will convene creative entrepreneurs, policymakers, and cultural changemakers to exchange ideas, share insights, and explore new models of collaboration for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Building on the UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation (2025-2030) and the British Council’s two-decade legacy of nurturing global creative ecosystems, Creative Convergence aims to strengthen the cultural connections between the two countries and highlight how creativity can drive economic and social transformation. Leading voices across arts, culture, design, film, music, education, and enterprise will contribute to shaping the next decade of India-UK creative collaboration.
Set in Bengaluru, one of India’s most vibrant hubs of creativity and innovation, the dialogue will explore the future of India’s creative economy through three key lenses: innovation, inclusion, and international collaboration. The programme will feature:
- Policy Conference on Creative Cities – shaping frameworks for creative urban futures
- Innovative Creative Enterprises – spotlighting sustainable business models
- Music City Futures – exploring how music drives cultural identity and economic growth
- Arts and Technology – intersections of creativity, design, and digital transformation
- Production Skills in Theatre and Events Ecosystem – enabling future-ready creative talent
- Representation and Diversity – rethinking equity in creative spaces
- UK–India Partnerships – building stronger bridges for exchange and co-creation
Additional highlights include Innovation Talks, an Arts Bazaar showcasing Indian creative enterprises, and sector network talks and sessions with eminent speakers from India and the UK – including Rashmi Dhanwani (Founder-Director, Art X Company & Festivals from India), Vishruti Bindal (Co-founder, Linear Festivals), Bruce Guthrie (Head of Theatre and Film, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA)), Padmini Ray Murray (Founder and Director, Design Beku), and Kamya Ramachandran (Festival Director & Co-curator, Future Fantastic and Be Fantastic) – among others.
An online professional development programme ‘Supporting the Creative Economy’ will complement the event, offering capacity-building resources and strengthening India-UK creative networks.
Ahead of the event, Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council, shared, “Creative Convergence embodies the British Council’s long-term commitment to supporting India’s creative economy and fostering meaningful partnerships between India and the UK. By uniting diverse voices from across the creative and policy landscapes, this initiative seeks to redefine how collaboration and creativity can drive inclusive growth, innovation and lasting socio-economic impact. It is our vision that this dialogue will inspire new ideas, partnerships, and solutions that shape the future of creativity for both nations.”
As part of the British Council’s wider effort to enable knowledge exchange, research, and skills development, Creative Convergence represents a milestone in the evolving India-UK cultural partnership. The Bengaluru edition marks the first chapter of this initiative, to be followed by a second edition in New Delhi in January 2026.