Anhar: Culture and Climate Platform

It is designed specifically to diverse and increase support for practitioners in the Arab world and builds on findings and key priorities that emerged through the Culture and Climate Summit, a two-day workshop and seminar exploring culture’s role in addressing the climate emergency, jointly organised by Art Jameel and the British Council in March 2023.

Programme Aim

• The programme aims to:
  • Support creative practitioners producing cultural projects that engage with the climate emergency, raise awareness and inspire engagement;
  • Support cultural organisations in refitting spaces for energy efficiency and renewable energy use and/or the implementation of processes aimed at tracking and reducing carbon emissions and waste;
  • Support experimental and creative approaches to cultural production that centre local, community-based and intersectional perspectives;
  • Facilitate peer exchange, stimulate meaningful connections, international and interdisciplinary collaboration while expanding and strengthening a regional network of cultural practitioners engaged with the climate emergency.

Programme Tiers

• The Anhar: Culture and Climate Platform offers three tiers of awards:
  • Tier 1: to individual artists and collectives working on climate-related projects and proposals.
  • Tier 2: to cultural organisations to reduce their carbon and waste footprint through the development and implementation of a decarbonisation strategy, including material works and investments in renewable energy infrastructures.
  • Tier 3: to support collaborations between UK and MENA artists, collectives, networks and/or cultural organisations seeking to develop a large-scale artistic response to the climate emergency, with at least a component of the project taking place in a MENA country.

Funding Information

• Tier 1: Awards grants of £1,000 to £5,000 ($1,000 to $6,000)
• Tier 2: Awards grants of £5,000 to £10,000 ($6,000 to $12,000)
• Tier 3: Awards grants of £25,000 to £50,000 ($30,500 to $70,000)
• Projects across all tiers are expected to be completed by December 15, 2024.

Eligibility Criteria

• Tier 1: for individual artists and collectives working on climate-related projects and proposals
  • Eligibility Criteria
    • Applicants must be based in an eligible country at the time of application.
      • Countries eligible: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen.
    • Applicants should demonstrate that they are active in and committed to their local creative communities
    • Applicants should demonstrate integrity of purpose and originality of thinking in their work in general and in the projects they are proposing
    • Applicants should prioritise sustainable practices in their proposals, aiming for their projects to minimise environmental impact and work toward carbon neutrality.
    • If applicants have received any previous British Council funding, this application must be a new and unrelated proposal/project
• Tier 2: for cultural organisations to reduce their carbon and waste footprint through the development and implementation of a decarbonisation strategy
  • Eligibility Criteria
    • Organisations must be registered in an eligible country at the time of application.
      • Countries eligible: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
    • Applicants should demonstrate that they are active in and committed to their local creative communities
    • Organisations must have completed at least two full years of public operation. This means they have been open to the public for at least two years- not counting any closures due to the Pandemic or damage due to Force Majeure incidents
    • Annual financial reporting that can be shared upon request
    • If applicants have received any previous British Council funding, this application must be a new and unrelated proposal/project
• Tier 3: for collaborations between UK and MENA artists, collectives, networks and/or cultural organisations seeking to develop a large-scale artistic response to the climate emergency, with at least a component of the project taking place in a MENA country
  • Eligibility Criteria
    • Lead applicants must be based in eligible countries in the MENA region* or the United Kingdom at the time of application
      • *Countries eligible: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
    • Applicants should demonstrate that they are active in and committed to their local creative communities
    • Applicants should demonstrate integrity of purpose and originality of thinking in their work in general and in the projects they are proposing
    • Organisations must have completed at least two full years of public operation. This means they have been open to the public for at least two years — not counting any closures due to the Pandemic or damage due to Force Majeure incidents
    • Annual financial reporting that can be shared upon request
    • Organisations can be involved in more than one application – however, they are unlikely to fund the same organisation more than once.
    • An independent organisation, based in MENA, is potentially eligible to apply for both a Tier 2 infrastructure grant, AND to be a consortium partner in a Tier 3 application. The applications will be assessed separately, and the lead partner in each will be required to provide information in full about the proposed programme of activity.
    • Applicants should prioritise sustainable practices in their proposals, aiming for their projects to minimise environmental impact and work toward carbon neutrality.
    • If applicants have received any previous British Council funding, this application must be a new and unrelated proposal/project.

For more information, visit Art Jameel.