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CULTURE RESOURCE "STAND FOR ART"

Description

Culture Resource is offering "Stand for Art" Grant that supports artists and cultural actors in the Arab region currently facing risk that threatens their safety and security either because of their artistic output and cultural activities or because of their presence in an unsafe environment inside their countries or abroad. Culture Resource launched the program in 2016 after conducting a study of the risks that artists and cultural actors are facing in the region as well as the types of support available to them locally and internationally. The program prioritizes cases that are facing the following risks: kidnapping or detention, imprisonment, threats of physical harm, violence and abuse, and prosecution, irrespective of whether the threats are perpetrated using legal or illegal means.

Who is this program for?

  • Artists and cultural actors who are in danger because of their artistic or cultural expression or production.

  • Artists and cultural actors who are in danger because of the unsafe environment they live in, inside their countries or abroad.

Benefits

Forms of support:

Emergency fund, which provides financial support covering one or more of the following expenses:

  • Living expenses (including accommodation expenses) in the country of residence or the host country for up to six months,

  • Travel expenses (tickets and visa costs and/or internal transportation expenses),

  • Legal support (expenses for professional legal advice or hiring lawyers),

  • Other types of support that require expenditures (such as psychological and/or physical health care expenses).

Referral, which is a non-monetary support that can include putting beneficiaries in touch with the following entities: 

  • Short term artistic residencies inside the Arab region and abroad in order to guarantee a temporary safe haven where they can live and work,

  • International organizations that support artists at risk or offer temporary residencies. The program supports beneficiaries’ applications by providing a recommendation letter to these organizations. 

  • Advocacy organizations or lawyers to support the beneficiaries and provide free legal advice.

Eligibility criteria

  • The applicant must originate from an Arab country regardless of ethnicity and citizenship status or whether they are currently residing in the Arab region or abroad;

  • The applicant must be an artist or a cultural actor;

  • The applicant must be in peril or face a tangible and verifiable threat.

The selection process:

  1. Once the application form is received, it will be evaluated in terms of eligibility of the applicant, the full completion of the application and inclusion of the required supporting documents;

  2. If all requirements are met, the program team will verify the accuracy of the information contained in the application. In some cases, the team may consult reliable individuals and organizations who know the artist or cultural actor and are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of the information;

  3. The program team will then submit the application to the program’s steering committee for assessment, deciding whether to approve it or reject it. The committee also determines the form of support it deems suitable based on the gravity of the case if accepted. The committee comprises 6 artists and cultural managers with expertise in their field and are aware of the social, political, artistic and cultural developments in the Arab region and exile. The formation of the committee takes into consideration gender diversity and geographical distribution;

  4. The program team will then inform the applicant of the committee’s decision. If accepted, the program team sends the form of support as proposed by the steering committee;

  5. After the applicant agrees to the proposed support, an agreement is signed between Culture Resource and the beneficiary.

Deadline

October 31st, 2025

Find application form here

Later Event: November 4
WUF12