Where to start? With interests in the arts, education, science and social welfare and a presence in three different countries we’ve been given as wide a canvass on which to paint the future as almost any other charitable foundation in the world. We know that we can best make a difference by valuing our history and using our particular strengths to bridge differences across cultures and combine aspirations in diverse spheres.

We have been reflecting on this as we explore new initiatives and particularly as we consider how we might develop our work on participatory, or “socially engaged”, arts practice. There are many examples of the huge social and cultural value that is added to societies when those two spheres come together, but what can we do to push the boundaries even further, develop larger scale practice and work across borders?

This is the question we have been asking ourselves, and many others in the field – including other funders, arts organisations working nationally and internationally and emerging cultural leaders – throughout this year as we seek to develop a new strategy for our work in this area. With a long-standing interest in this field and many recent initiatives there are also many new avenues to explore, particularly as we consider how we might broaden this work from supporting large-scale performances to include strategic funding that will help move practice forward.

Many interesting issues have already emerged but many questions also remain – these are outlined in the briefing here which provides a more detailed outline of our thinking so far. Many thanks to all of you who have already helped us along this journey and we invite you to continue to engage with us as we develop our plans.