Supporting international exhibition communication for a high-profile UK–China cultural partnership
The challenge
National Museum Wales partnered with Chongqing’s Three Gorges Museum to deliver Nature’s Song, a major international exhibition showcasing Chinese art to UK audiences for the first time. The event showcased Chinese flower and bird paintings – a collection spanning 600 years.
This high-profile cultural collaboration involved a complex programme of communications spanning event briefings, speeches, bilingual materials and stakeholder engagement. The private view event brought together senior dignitaries, government representatives and international partners, requiring clear and consistent messaging across English and Chinese.
The challenge lay in ensuring accuracy and cultural sensitivity across multiple formats—from formal speeches and official notes to live event materials – while maintaining consistency and supporting a seamless audience experience.
Our approach
A structured, integrated language support approach was applied across the full range of event and exhibition materials.
This included:
- Translation of formal speeches and official remarks, including bilingual versions for senior speakers and partners
- Preparation of event briefing documents, running orders and programme materials for a high-profile private view
- Bilingual adaptation of event content, including Chinese insertions within English-language documents to support mixed-language delivery
- Support for live event interpretation requirements, ensuring speeches could be delivered and understood in real time across both languages
The work required:
- Careful handling of culturally significant and diplomatic content
- Consistent terminology across all materials and formats
- Flexibility to support multiple document versions and evolving event requirements
- Alignment between written translations and live event delivery
The result
- Clear and consistent communication across all bilingual event materials
- Seamless delivery of speeches and presentations for a multilingual audience
- Strong alignment between written content and live interpretation
- Reliable support for a high-profile international event
- Accurate handling of culturally sensitive and diplomatic messaging
Integrated language support enabled National Museum Wales to deliver a complex international exhibition and high-profile event with clarity and confidence.
By ensuring consistency across speeches, event materials and live interpretation, the project supported effective cross-cultural communication and strengthened international collaboration.
