Deadline: 1 August 2019
The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) has launched its Grants under National Fund to support is in the form of core and program funding to strengthen the structures of independent arts and culture entities and for their increased engagement and outreach, as well as the training and skill-building of young artists and emerging professionals.
Through an open call scheme, this program provides up to three-year institutional and programmatic support to active arts and culture entities based in each of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, as well as for transboundary projects that promote joint artistic collaborations, distribution, and the professionalization of arts and culture practices among those five countries and with the rest of the Arab and African regions.
Grants are directed towards local independent arts and culture entities (institutions, collectives, spaces, networks, social enterprises…) based in one of the five countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. In the case of Libya, those can be operational outside Libya as long as the work is relevant to and benefits the Libyan arts and culture scene.
The grant scheme encourages active entities that have strong inclusive programming within and beyond central cities or those aiming for wider engagement and outreach programs, including those that provide access to youth, and marginalized groups. Alternative structures and emerging initiatives are also encouraged to apply.
Funding Support
The National Fund grant scheme provides funding support to independent small and medium arts and culture entities for:
- Their main projects and programs, including but not limited to:
- Residencies
- Conferences and seminars
- Research, documentation and publications
- Digital platforms
- Exhibition platforms
- Events and festivals
- Training
- Capacity building for artistic and technical skills (artists, curators, promotors, technicians…)
- Re-granting
- Their institutional strengthening efforts in any aspect that, after three years, will result in enhanced internal capabilities, including but not limited to:
- Strategic planning
- Fundraising and donor relations
- External communications (website, branding)
- Audience engagement
- Networking and partnerships
- Restructuring (reorganizing the legal, operational, board and team set-up)
- Learning and evaluation
- Professional accompaniment such as consultancies and mentorship; internal capacity building; and equipment that are directly related to the institutional strengthening goals of the applicant.
- Running and staff costs (rent, salaries, administrative expenses)
About the Grant
- The National Fund provides a total grant between $75.000 and $200.000 per grant, to begin in November 2019 and end by March 2022.
- Applicants are encouraged to show other streams of funding. The jury of AFAC reserves the right to determine the amount of the grant and the relevant proposed expenses.
- Proposed program activities and institutional strengthening components must be completed within the duration agreed to in the signed contract, during which grantees are expected to submit the necessary financial and narrative reports.
- Each institutional applicant is entitled to one application under the North Africa cultural Program.
- Recipients of the National Fund grant cannot apply for other AFAC programs before the end of their current grant.
Eligible Candidates
- The National Fund grant is open to receive applications from local independent arts and culture entities, including:
- Organizations
- Collectives
- Exhibition platforms
- Online platforms
- Spaces (with programs having potential wide outreach and connectivity)
- Networks
- Social enterprises whose main field of work is arts and culture
- For this particular program, applicants with an open grant in another AFAC program can apply.
Ineligible Candidates
AFAC will not consider applications submitted by:
- Individual applicants
- Organizations of less than two years in operation
- Members of the Board of Trustees of AFAC, their business partners or family members
- AFAC staff members, their business partners or family members
- Members of the NACP readers and jurors’ committees
Evaluation and Selection Process
- Following the submission deadline, AFAC will conduct an eligibility check to ensure that applications are complete and adhere to the guidelines. Only applications that pass the eligibility check will be sent to an independent jurors’ committee which will assess and choose the entities to be granted.
- An automatic email will be sent to applicants who were not selected to receive grants.
- Announcements are expected in October 2019.
- AFAC is not obliged to cover the total amount of the requested grant.
How to Apply
- Applications are only accepted through their online call for applications which is available on their website. Applications submitted via regular mail or e-mail will not be accepted.
- The applicant will receive a confirmation email once the online application has been received. Applicants are advised to follow up on the full completion and delivery of requested material as AFAC will not contact applicants if any part of their application is incomplete.
- Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
For more information, please visit https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/25