British Council invites collaborative proposals for arts and culture projects from Pakistan and UK-based artists, organisations, festivals, and institutions for the Pakistan-UK New Perspectives 2022 programme to celebrate Pakistan’s 75th anniversary of Independence in 2022.

This is an opportunity to think creatively, be innovative and explore new ways of artistic alliance across Pakistan and the UK in 2022.

Grants will be awarded to co-developed proposals between Pakistan and UK partners that offer opportunities for cross-cultural creative practices and knowledge exchange and new artistic work in 2022.Three to five grants of £25,000 will be awarded to projects highlighting the same.

Theme: Projects to explore the key cross-cutting theme ‘New Perspectives’ – addressing shared global challenges including but not limited to digital innovation, environmental sustainability, gender equality, diversity and inclusion principles, and empowering young leaders of the future.

Vision: In 2022, Pakistan will be highlighting a milestone in its history, its 75th anniversary. Pakistan and the UK have a strong bilateral relationship and the British Council will explore the connections between the UK and Pakistan, their contemporary context, their future and shared history of more than 400 years. Focusing on voices from an emerging generation of artists and young leaders, we will create platforms to explore heritage and cultural tourism, with diversity and sustainable creativity and knowledge economies as cross-cutting themes. We will connect with both country’s contemporary cultural identities and artistic expressions.

Artforms: Grants are offered to applicants in all art forms: theatre, dance, visual arts, literature, film, music, design, fashion, tech-art and new media art. Inter- and cross-disciplinary practices are encouraged

Application deadline: 2330 (PKT) on 31 October 2021. Late applications will not be accepted.

Who can apply?

Eligibility

  1. Applications must be a partnership between at least one Pakistan collaborator and at least one collaborator based in the UK.
  2. The collaboration grant is open to Pakistan and UK based:
  • Artists
  • Arts and culture companies, museums, cultural institutions
  • Festivals
  • Private consortiums, collectives
  • NGOs/Non-Profit/Charites, social enterprise
  • Media platforms (traditional and/or digital)

3. The lead applicant must be a registered Pakistani organisation/institution or a Pakistani individual with an active national tax number (NTN). The lead applicant will submit the application, will represent all the parties of the collaboration, and be responsible for executing the project on behalf of all the collaborators for the British Council. The lead applicant will be responsible for all communications regarding the implementation and management of the funds received through the grant.

The Opportunity

The programme offers opportunities for:

  • Sharing the rich arts and cultural heritage and geographic diversity of all regions of Pakistan and the UK through innovative and new artistic works that have been co-created for public sharing (digital, face to face or hybrid)
  • Development of skills and capacity for long-term collaboration in the arts and opening new market opportunities
  • Strengthening cultural relations through co-creation, developing, and expanding partnerships
  • Mutual and equitable collaboration between emerging and established organisations, festivals and institutions in Pakistan and the UK to influence perception change around equality, diversity, inclusion, and environmental consciousness.

Project Types

Delivery model: Projects must explore a hybrid way of working between digital and face to face models with a larger emphasis on digital audiences. Scope for travel and physical engagements should be considered within the COVID-19 protocol of the place of delivery.

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Exhibitions, installations, showcases, conferences, performances
  • Augmented and virtual reality projects
  • Cross disciplinary creative collaborations
  • New arts products, platforms or festival ideas
  • Film and video art, online archives 
  • Digital broadcast

Dates: Projects will need to be delivered between November 2021 and August 2022 with public facing activity (digital or hybrid) taking place between March 2022 and August 2022.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form which includes details on your proposal, approach, proposed outputs, information about you and your collaborator, what will you both learn and why would you benefit from being awarded the grant.

You will neither be able to save the application form nor return to it before your final submission, so please go through the briefing document and the FAQ's thoroughly before filling out the form. A sample form is available for download at the end of this page (in the Downloads section). We recommend you save your responses offline and then come to this application form once you are sure of your responses.

Note: Multiple entries will be disqualified.

Find out more

  • Download the full briefing document from our download section below
  • Read our FAQ document from our download section below
  • Attend our briefing session on Friday, 8 October at 1600 PKT to gain a better understanding and insight into what we are looking for.

Sign up for a briefing session

For any queries, please contact British Council on opencallgrants@britishcouncil.org.pk
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