Call for applications: All-Around Culture programme for Arab countries

The programme will be implemented over four years to foster a vital cultural ecosystem as an enabling environment for social and economic inclusion of young people from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.

The programme accepts applications from youth‐led cultural and civic initiatives and aims to encourage community-based and contextual projects using collaborative approaches. It also aims to raise knowledge and capacities of young artists, collectives and cultural operators from underserved areas on the development of contextual work, and community engagement in cultural and civic activities. 

The project will offer:

• Up to 32 research and 24 production grants to support youth-led cultural and civic initiatives to implement community-based and contextual artistic production. 
• Two collaborative laboratories that will take place consecutively where up to 16 artists, collectives and cultural operators will exchange experiences and raise capacities on cultural and civic project development applying community-based and contextual methodologies.
• Tailor-made guidance, networking and support opportunities.

Eligibility

The following can present project ideas from all artistic fields:

• Individual artists.
• Artist collectives.
• Cultural operators – managers, curators, etc.
• Researchers.
• Civil society activists.

Selection process

• A total of 32 selected applicants will receive a research grant of up to €3 000 as a lump sum. The grant will have to be used to carry out the necessary research and study in the territory and with the community that the applicant wishes to work with.
• After the research phase, the 32 applicants will be invited to submit their project proposals for the production grant. Up to 24 applicants will receive the production grant of €20 000 (max). The production grant beneficiaries will receive detailed information on the eligibility of costs.

Note:

• The research phase shall take place from February to June 2021.
• The production phase shall start in October 2021. The end date will be agreed with each sub-grantee.

At the end of the programme, All-Around Culture hopes to: 

• Support the stability of 36 cultural entities and foster their investment in sustainable collaboration to facilitate and increase access to culture within their contexts.
• Create partnerships and exchange knowledge among 60 cultural entities from the Arab region and Europe.
• Practice ongoing knowledge exchange to connect diverse learning needs throughout the programme, as well as share ecosystem-based approaches and practices with a wider community.
• Establish a platform advocating for open access to culture and for actions to facilitate the working environment for cultural and artistic efforts in the countries of intervention.

Interested individuals can access the application form here.

The application deadline is 25 December 2020.

For more information, download the original call attached below.