Jerusalem Creative Spaces: Supporting Artists and Cultural Organisations Residency Programme (Palestine)

The British Council Jerusalem Creative Spaces recognises the increasing pressures facing the Palestinian artistic and cultural sector in Jerusalem and beyond, which has intensified in light of the ongoing war on Gaza. This initiative responds to the urgent need for more creative spaces for Palestinian artists in the city as part of their broader commitment to supporting the Palestinian cultural sector, aligned with their aim to help protect Palestinian identity and heritage.

Through this open call, they aim to provide a space where creatives can connect, create, and be supported as they develop their artistic practice alongside fellow artists and nurture a community of practice. The residency also offers opportunities to engage the wider community in Jerusalem, Palestine, the UK, and internationally.

They invite applications that present artistic/creative ideas/interventions/projects from all art disciplines (music, film, literature, visual arts, performing arts, digital art, design, crafts, research-based art) that activate the British Council premises, create meaningful artistic work as well as engage Palestinian communities in Jerusalem and beyond through the arts.

Applications must demonstrate a genuine benefit to young creatives and wider audiences. They encourage submissions from or that engage with young creatives (over 18 years of age). They also encourage people with disabilities to apply.

Objectives

• Support the production of new and engaging work by emerging Palestinian creatives in Jerusalem.
• Share the creative process and/or the outcomes of the residency with the public; engaging the Palestinian community in Jerusalem, across the Occupied Palestinian Territories and broader community digitally.
• Activation of the British Council premises (for example but not limited to using the back offices as artists’ studios for arts production, as meeting space, for workshops, exhibitions, artists’ talks, lectures and other events in the main building and garden).
• Nurture a community of practice among Palestinian artists, creatives and culture practitioners through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and sustained engagement.
• Be a launchpad for Palestinian creatives to build connections with UK cultural sector.

Funding Information

• The opportunity consists of 5 grants of up to 5,000 GBP across three residency slots of three months each at the British Council premises in Jerusalem from July 2025 – March 2026.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications will be accepted from Palestinian artists, creatives, collectives and arts and cultural organisations based in East Jerusalem or with access to it.
• They are open to all art disciplines (music, film, literature, visual arts, performing arts, digital art, architecture, design, fashion, crafts, research-based art)
• In the case of organisational applicants, please note that this grant is designed to engage and benefit local artists so only projects that directly support and work with local artists are eligible to apply.
• The activity/project proposed doesn’t need to take place in its entirety at the British Council, however it should demonstrate the engagement, use and activation of the British Council Jerusalem premises throughout the whole time of the residency for it to be considered as an eligible proposal.
• Previous residents/grantees are eligible to apply. They welcome new applicants and ideas.

For more information, visit British Council.