Grants up to 50,000$ to Support Art Projects in the Arab World 2020

The Visual Arts grant from AFAC supports painting, sculpting, photography, installations, audio-video arts, publications (artist book or other publications) and multi-media works of a contemporary and innovative nature. The grant can support exhibitions, visual arts book publications as well as art production. The program provides annual grants ranging from a few thousand U.S. dollars up to a maximum of fifty thousand U.S. dollars.

Eligible Candidates:

AFAC is open to receive project applications from all Arab individuals working in arts and culture. Project applications are accepted irrespective of age, years of experience, country of residence, ethnicity, gender or religion.

AFAC also accepts proposals from local, regional and international institutions whose projects are related to Arab culture. These include artistic, cultural, social and educational institutions, galleries, centers and organizations, governmental and non-governmental, that are engaging with contemporary Arab arts and culture.

Ineligible Candidates:

AFAC will not consider applications submitted by:

• Members of the Board of Trustees, their business partners or family members.
• AFAC staff members, their business partners or family members.
• Members of the current year’s readers and jurors’ committees.
• Recipients of two consecutive grants unless two years had passed since the last grant (e.g. If a grantee had received two grants in 2016 and 2017, s/he can apply again in 2020).
• Applicants with a current open grant.
• Each applicant (individual or institution) is entitled to only one application in the same category.
• If an applicant has an application that is in process, s/he cannot submit another application in any category until the result of the current application in process is announced.

Eligible Expenses:

The AFAC grant covers project-related expenses (including artist fees). In the case of institutions, a small percentage of the grant (not exceeding 15%) can be allocated for certain running costs. AFAC and the jury reserve the right to determine whether the proposed running costs items are relevant or not.

Place and Duration:

AFAC will not provide support retroactively, i.e. to projects already completed. For projects that have already started, AFAC will cover the expenses that will occur only after the signature of the contract if the project is selected. Projects may be implemented anywhere as long as they are created by Arab artists or – as in the case of non-Arab institutions - relevant to the Arab region. The project’s time frame should not exceed 24 months.

Payment Conditions & Schedule (After receiving the grant):

If AFAC awards a grantee US $10,000 or less, s/he will receive 70% of the grant amount as a first payment. Once the project is completed and the grantee has submitted the deliverables, narrative and financial reports, the remaining 30% will be transferred.

For grants exceeding US $10,000, grant installments will be released only after the grantee submits proof of securing 70% of the remaining total project budget. When the latter condition is fulfilled, grantees will receive 50% of the grant amount as the first payment. When 80% of the first payment has been spent, the grantee must submit an interim narrative and financial report to AFAC. Once the report is approved, grantees will receive 35% of the grant total amount as a second payment.

With submission of the final deliverables and reports, the remaining 15% of the grant total amount will be transferred and the grant will be closed. Grantees should provide AFAC with ten copies of the final outputs of the project, when applicable.

About AFAC:

The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture - AFAC was founded in 2007 through the initiative of Arab cultural activists as an independent foundation to support individual artists, writers, researchers, intellectuals, as well as organizations from the Arab region working in the field of arts and culture. Since its launch, AFAC’s programs have steadily expanded to cover cinema, photography, visual and performing arts, creative and critical writings, music, documentary film, in addition to funding research, trainings and cultural events. Based in Beirut, AFAC works with artists and organizations all over the Arab region and the rest of the world.

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