Deadline: 12-Apr-2024
Are you a UK literature organisation? Are you diverse-led? Do you work with underrepresented and marginalised voices? Do you want to work internationally but haven’t had the opportunity? Do you want to further your experience and knowledge of international working but don’t have the existing relationships or track record to apply to established funding streams? This is the programme for you!
Beyond Literature Borders (BLB) is a Grant Programme funded by the British Council in collaboration with Speaking Volumes. It will support the UK literature community to develop an international strand to their work, helping small organisations with little or no previous track record of international working to build skills and undertake an initial project with a country defined as eligible for official development assistance (ODA).
Speaking Volumes is working with the British Council to give small, UK-based arts organisations that are diverse-led and/or working with underrepresented voices the opportunity to develop and deliver a discrete project with an international partner with a £7000 grant. This grant is for organisations who are completely new to international work, and those who are early in their partnerships and overseas working.
The programme will:
- Support literature organisations new to international working by offering four grants of UK Sterling £7,000 to conduct a discrete reciprocal literature project in an ODA country;
- Equip UK literature professionals with the skills and knowledge to run successful international collaborative programmes through the support and advice of both the British Council and Speaking Volumes;
- Broaden networks and connections across borders for both organisations and artists, creating opportunities for future collaborations and invitations;
- Encourage literature organisations which work to support underrepresented voices within the UK literature scene to develop opportunities for those voices to participate in international programmes.
Eligibility Criteria
- Literature organisations eligible to apply for this grant will be diverse-led or those who work to showcase underrepresented voices.
- Before making your application, please ensure your application meets the following conditions:
- The application must be made by a literature organisation registered in the UK which is diverse-led and/or works to support underrepresented voices in the sector. As ‘diverse-led’ and ‘underrepresented voices’ may have wide interpretations and can cover a range of work, please tell them in your application how your organisation meets this condition;
- The organisation may be: a charity/ not-for-profit/ a company/ other (please state);
- The UK organisation must work with one (1) ODA country from the list;
- The UK organisation must have a business bank account in the organisation’s name. If the account is in a different name to the business name, you must attach a letter on headed paper from the organisation or board to confirm the bank account given is the one used for the organisation;
- There are four (4) grants available of UK Sterling £7,000 each. Projects may be for just the amount of the grant or for a larger amount, but extra funds to complete the project must be in place and shown in your budget;
- Project proposals should have a timeline ending no later than 15 May 2025, unless part of a larger project, but reporting on the use of BLB funds will need to be completed by early May 2025;
- Individuals and funding bodies are not eligible – but you are able to work with individuals or organisations in the partner ODA country, as long as the project is of mutual benefit to both you and the ODA country;
- Proposed projects must be projects for the literature sector, although they may be cross-art (eg literature and music) or cross-disciplinary (eg literature and science) or relate to the wider creative literature economy;
For more information, visit Speaking Volumes.