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For more information on successful applicants:
 
Connections Through Culture (CTC) is an arts grants programme run by the British Council in the UK and East Asia. It was established in August 2019 in Southeast Asia to provide grants to residents of the UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam from the following groups: 
  • Artists 
  • Cultural and arts professionals
  • Representatives of art collectives, networks or organisations 
It was created to further international face-to-face discussions needed to develop projects beyond initial expressions of interest. It built on the wider CTC programme that has been running in China since 2006.  
 
The primary objective is to support exchanges and collaborations between the UK and Southeast Asia. Prior to Covid-19, this would have most likely involved international travel. However, with travel restricted and uncertain, the CTC grant is offered to develop and strengthen new and existing relationships between the UK and Southeast Asia, by providing funding to allow conversations to happen, and for the possibilities of online collaboration to be explored.  
 
In 2020, we will support online collaboration projects between Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) and the UK.
 
Celebrating the diverse cultural expression in both regions, the programme offers support, information, advice and networking opportunities for professional development. Grantees both from the UK and the East Asian countries benefit from the inspiration gained from exchanging ideas and sharing their cultural history. 
 
 

What is the value of each grant? 

For individual artists or professionals or, for cultural organisations or collectives living in the UK or in any of the five (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) Southeast Asian countries featured in this programme: £2,500 to £7,500. 
 
 

What is the grant for? 

  • Time. Time for those from the UK and Southeast Asia to initiate connections together for new digital/online networking and new art and cultural projects through conversations or platforms  
    - Online or digital art residencies 
    - Online or digital exhibitions or showcases 
    - Online or digital conferences or webinars 
    - Art and cultural online or digital archives and research 
    - Online or digital toolkits 
  • Face to face, public versions of the activities mentioned above in your home country (subject to any local health restrictions that may be in place). 
  • 70% of the grant is an artistic fee, and must be split equally between the Southeast Asia applicant(s), organisation or collective, and the UK applicant(s), organisation or collective. In your application, list 70% of the grant requested for this purpose.  
  • The remaining 30% can be used as a per diem for those who will be supporting you with the project (e.g. if you need a graphic designer as you don’t have those skills), software (e.g. zoom account), or local travel and accommodation costs that may be required. With regards to local air travel, we are encouraging digital/online collaboration, so if you do plan local air travel, please explain why this is essential in your application. In your application form it is important you make it clear how this 30% will be spent. 
 

What is the grant NOT for?

  • International travel and accommodation
  • Not for academic institutions
  • Not for funding bodies
  • Not for Southeast Asian nationals living outside of the five countries mentioned in this call
  • Not for UK individuals based (living) outside of the United Kingdom, unless temporarily living outside of the United Kingdom but retaining a home address in the United Kingdom and defined by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs as ‘resident the in the UK’ for tax – see here
 

Information Sessions

In Malaysia, a few information sessions were conducted to address queries by potential applicants:
 
 

Applications

Applications close on 8 November 2020 at 11.59pm (GMT+8).
 
Results of the grant applications will be announced in December 2020.
Projects will need to be completed between January to June 2021. 
 
Read the guidance notes and apply below:
 
 

Covid-19 Information

 
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