Call for proposals: Research grants for the Arab world

This programme provides up to $15 000 for individuals researchers, up to $25 000 for teams of researchers or collectives, and up to $35 000 for institutions. 

Grants are for 18 months for individuals, teams and collectives (starting February 2022 and ending July 2023) and for up to 24 months for institutions (starting February 2022 and ending February 2024).

RAP seeks to promote and develop art research in the Arab region, a geographical and cultural space rich with art legacies and contemporary art practices waiting to be researched and analysed. It seeks to facilitate the production of different academic and artistic knowledge that adds value to the field.

The ideal projects should unpack art as a subject of study and the role of social, economic and political processes in shaping artistic practices, production and dissemination, and vice versa. They should also contribute critical knowledge that crosses disciplinary boundaries between arts, the social sciences and other disciplines.

The proposed projects may include but are not limited to:

• Arts as part of everyday life.
• Historical and contemporary art practices.
• The temporality and spatiality of artistic practices and related knowledge production.
• History of art.
• Folk art.
• Arts and the environment.
• Research on archives related to the arts.
• Art and the state.
• Pop culture.
• Meaning and impact of art.
• Art in exile.
• Genres of artistic writing.
• Forms and functions of artistic works.
• Art/society relationships.
• Suppressed and marginalised art histories and practices.
• Artistic production, circulation, consumption and audience.

Who can apply?

AFAC and ACSS accept projects originating from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Egypt, Sudan, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. AFAC also accepts proposals from local, regional and international institutions whose projects are related to Arab culture.

Eligibility

This programme is open to researchers from diverse backgrounds in the arts, humanities and social sciences, as well as allied fields. 

• Arts and humanities disciplines include art history, comparative literature, contemporary art, curatorial studies, fine arts, graphic design, architecture, languages and literature, folklore studies, media studies, musicology, performance arts, and visual arts. 
• The core social science fields include disciplines such as anthropology, demography, economics, history, political science, psychology and sociology. Allied fields include education, gender studies, cultural studies and urban studies. Interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged.

View the eligibility guidelines here.

Selection process

The selection will be based on the following criteria:

• Contribution to knowledge – How does the project contribute to new knowledge of the arts? How does the knowledge produced fill gaps, cross over, connect, open up and bridge fields and sectors?
• Significance, originality and relevance to the region – Why is it important to undertake this research? How is it different from other works in the area? How is it relevant to needs and priorities in the Arab region?
• Artistic approaches or methods (including attention to research ethics) – Does the researcher adopt novel tools and methods to undertake the research? Are they appropriate to the research questions and objectives? Does the researcher take into consideration ethics in undertaking the research?
• Outputs, plans of dissemination – Does the researcher have appropriate and realistic outputs as well as sound and effective dissemination plans? Is the researcher targeting new audiences? How do the findings impact different communities?
• Feasibility (CVs/researcher’s qualifications/timeline/budget).

Applicants should note:

• Extra points will be given to projects that promote dialogue between academia and practice and adopt inter- and cross-disciplinary approaches.
• This programme supports research projects at any stage of their development. Research proposals can be submitted for new or ongoing projects.

How to apply

To apply, log in here with your username and password. Once you log in, you will be directed to the application page. In case you don’t have an existing account, create one here.

In addition to submitting the application form on the AFAC’s website, applicants must fill out a profile page on the ACSS website here.

Results will be communicated to applicants by November, and successful applicants will receive provisional award letters confirming their selection.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 14 August.