AFAC: Creative and Critical Writings

Arab Fund for Arts and Culture

Next deadline: Apr 4, 2023 9:00am PDT

Later deadlines: Apr 4, 2024

Grant amount: Up to US $50,000

Funding uses: Project / Program

Location of project: Anywhere in the world

Location of residency: Anywhere in the world

Location of citizenship: Algeria; Bahrain; Comoros; Djibouti; Egypt; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; Mauritania; Morocco; Oman; Palestine, State of; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Somalia; Sudan; Syrian Arab Republic; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; Yemen Show all

Overview:

About Us

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.

Creative and Critical Writings

The Creative and Critical Writings grant provides support to critical writings on the arts and culture, theatrical writings, children and youth literature (including both the adaptation of classical Arabic and international literature as well as original stories), graphic novel, short story, poetry, in addition to online publishing platform. The final product should be in Arabic language.

Creative and Critical Writings is a new grants program that builds on AFAC previous support for literature through the Literature Grant and the AFAC Novel Writing Program, but which expands into areas that are in need of support.

The program provides annual grants ranging from a few thousand U.S. dollars up to a maximum of 20,000 U.S. dollars for individuals and teams and 35,000 U.S dollars for institutions and collectives.

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.

Eligibility:

• AFAC is open to receive project applications from all Arab individuals working in the fields specified above.
  • Applicants are eligible if they are nationals (not necessarily citizens) of an Arab country living in the Arab region (for example, citizenless Palestinians, Kurds, or other individuals/groups denied citizenship for political reasons).
  • An Arab country is defined by its membership in the League of Arab States (Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen).
  • Project applications are accepted irrespective of age, years of experience, country of residence, ethnicity, gender or religion.
• Applications in this category can be also submitted by relevant Arab or non-Arab institutions (publishing houses, online literary platforms, …) as long as the final product is in Arabic
• Projects may be implemented anywhere as long as they are created by Arab writers or – as in the case of non-Arab institutions – relevant to the Arab region.
• Each applicant (individual or institution) is entitled to only one application in the same category.
• The AFAC grant covers project-related expenses (including writer's fees up to 30% of the total grant amount).
  • In the case of institutions, up to 30% of the grant amount) 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.
  • The percentage of allocation to writers’ fees and institutional running costs has been exceptionally raised in 2020 and 2021 to account for the challenges brought about by the spread of COVID-19.
• When the grant from AFAC exceeds ten thousand dollars yet only covers a portion of the project’s overall budget, the grantee is obliged to raise 70% of the remaining budget in order to be awarded the grant.
  • In the event that the grantee is unable to procure 70% of the remaining project budget within 90 days of receiving the grant, the latter will be canceled.
• Applicants must choose only one program to apply to, if projects fit two different grant programs.
• 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.
• No grantee will be awarded more than two deadline extensions during the grant period; such extensions should be justified by the grantee and approved by AFAC.
• Projects must be completed within 2 years of signing the contract, during which grantees are expected so submit the necessary financial and narrative reports.

Ineligibility:

• 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 grants in two consecutive years will not be eligible to apply for the next two consecutive years.
    • For example, if you received a grant in 2020 and another one in 2021, you will only be eligible to re-apply in 2024.
  • Applicants who have a current open grant.
  • 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.
• FAC does not offer scholarships.
• AFAC does not offer mobility grants.
  • Travel costs can be covered by the AFAC grant only when they are part of the implementation of a project.
• In the event that the grantee does not sign the grant contract within 60 days upon receipt thereof, the grant will be canceled.
• AFAC will not provide support retroactively, i.e. to projects already completed.