Call for applications: Mobility grant for Arab countries

Wijhat offers artists and cultural actors grants of up to $8 000 to support travel both within and outside the Arab region, thereby enabling the grantees to present their works to new audiences and to engage in new and diverse inter- and intra-Arab cultural exchange experiences.

"Arab artists and cultural actors face major challenges when it comes to traveling within the Arab region or abroad for professional purposes," Wijhat said.

“Such problems hamper the prospects of artists in the Arab region for career development and the acquisition of wider audiences for their creative output. They also narrow the horizons for the artists’ collaboration and exchange of ideas and expertise with their peers in the region, limit the exposure of their works internationally, and restrict cultural and professional exchange opportunities with peers outside the Arab region."

Who can apply?

The programme targets:

• Applicants from an Arab country, regardless of ethnic background or citizenship status.
• Applicants that are Arab but do not necessarily reside in an Arab country.
• Groups and individuals.
• Artists from all disciplines: visual arts, performance arts, literature, music, etc.
• Cultural actors, whether working independently or as members or staff of cultural initiatives or organisations.

The programme covers the following activities:

• Artistic and cultural festivals.
• Artistic residencies.
• Forums, conferences and symposia.
• Artistic and creative production workshops.
• Training and capacity building workshops.

Requirements

• An official invitation from a partner or host in the country of destination. (Note: In the event of the lack of a formal invitation, the application may still be accepted and assessed but on the condition that the applicant provides another proof of acceptance, in principle, to take part in the intended activity).
• Photocopy of passport (the first two pages).
• A detailed budget for the trip.
• The programme of the intended activity (i.e. a programme of the festival or conference schedule) should the programme be available at the time of application.
• A detailed CV for individual applicants or a bio and an introduction to/description of the applying group. In both cases, the application should include a list of samples of previous works.
• Previous works that are in digital form (text or visual material) can be sent in one of the following ways: as a single PDF file, Word or zipped file (not exceeding 4 MB), or as four JPEG files (of no more than 1 MB per file). If the previous works are audio or audiovisual recordings, include the website links where these works can be found.

Application deadline

Interested applicants can apply in the following two rounds:

• For activities taking place before October, the application deadline is 15 May 2020. Successful candidates will be notified on 30 June.
• For activities taking place after October, the application deadline is 15 September 2020. Successful candidates will be notified on 31 October. 

The programme offers the following support:

• Ticket costs.
• Visa costs.
• Accommodation and partial support for living expenses.
• A recommendation letter from Culture Resource to the relevant embassy to support the visa application, if necessary.

How to apply

Read the application guidelines before filling out the form, which can be downloaded here. 

Include with the application the required supporting documents that demonstrate that the aim of the trip is consistent with the aims of the programme.