Deadline: 1 June 2025
The British Council invites biennales and festivals to apply for the 2025–26 Architecture, Design and Fashion Biennales and Festivals Grants to showcase international designers.
The programme has promoted cross-cultural exchange by providing opportunities for design practitioners to connect with biennials and build meaningful international partnerships.
Funding Information
- Grants of up to £10,000 are available to support:
- UK-based biennales and festivals showcasing work by international designers (Non-UK-based, excluding designers based in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka).
- International (non-UK-based, excluding Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) biennales and festivals showcasing work by UK designers.
Eligible Costs
- Exhibition, installation, production, and travel costs
- Festival presence and engagement activities
- Miscellaneous costs associated with presenting completed design work
Ineligible Costs
- Funding does not cover research and development activities.
Eligibility Criteria
- Biennale or festival representatives must submit the applications. Grants will be awarded to festival organisations, not individual designers.
- Design practitioners interested in applying should coordinate with the relevant festival. In exceptional cases, practitioners may apply directly if they provide a confirmation letter from the festival stating that the festival can receive the funds.
- They particularly welcome projects that:
- Take place in Official Development Assistance (ODA) recipient countries or feature designers from these regions.
- Support emerging designers (within 10 years of practice).
- Involve designers and/or festivals based in countries where the British Council operates excluding Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
- All projects must foster collaboration between UK-based and international designers, ensuring at least one party (designer or festival) is UK-based.
Ineligibility Criteria
- Projects focused on other art forms, such as film, visual art, music, performance, or conference attendance. The British Council has separate open calls for these disciplines.
- Festivals/Biennales and Designers based in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
For more information, visit British Council.
