Final call for your creative idea to be funded by British Council

Creative idea funding runs up to £10,000...but time is running out!

By Robert Mukondiwa

The British Council in Zimbabwe has made the final call for the #OpenCall program for creative in Zimbabwe.

Do you have a creative idea that you would want to see funded with a good grant?

Then if you are swift and on the ball or just want to put finishing touches to your proposal, perhaps now is the time to hurry the hell up and you may be one of the bright sparks that could get up to £10,000 in a grant which could change your world and transform your creative idea into a cross continental reality.

Read on:

British Council Zimbabwe launches an open call for project ideas aimed at facilitating collaborative working between the UK and Zimbabwe creative sectors. The call will be open from 30 July to 09 September 2016.
We are looking for creative and innovative project ideas that find new ways of connecting with and understanding each other through the arts.
Projects can be a combination of more than one art form, and applications are invited from individual creatives and cultural institutions. Our target demographic for the programme is people between 18-35 years old, with a specific focus on women, who are currently under represented in the Zimbabwean creative industries.
PROJECT MUST BE:
 Devised for a 18–35 years old audience demographic
 Able to engage and extend reach across multiple digital platforms (social media, website)
 Designed for an urban context and audience
 Collaborative with financial or /and in kind investment from two or more partners from either the UK and Zimbabwe or both
 Mutually beneficial  to artists, participants and audiences in both countries
 Open to both first time collaborators with British Council and those who have collaborated with British Council previously.
 Projects would need to see the significant implementation of activity prior to March 2017

PROJECT CATEGORIES
Our grants are divided into three categories, which support the aims and ambitions of the open call:

1 Creative connections:
Amount: up to £3,500 GBP
This category is open to creative individuals from any art discipline (either independent or working as part of an organisation) wishing to develop work in a different context and location with new artists and/or art-disciplines.
This is also open to small scale organisations wishing to invite creative professionals to collaborate, (such as a guest director, sound artist, writer, digital artist) on the project.

This category must ensure that there is a UK and Zimbabwe collaboration, (might be virtual) which should culminate in a project with audience reach in one or both countries. 

2 Creative spaces: place to place
Amount: up to £8,000 GBP
This category is for small to medium scale organisations in the creative sector in both UK and Zimbabwe. Organisations will collaborate with each other on developing new project(s) that further promote the creative sector and the specific art discipline for which the project is undertaken. Relooking at space: physical space, pop-up spaces, digital spaces that could be re-purposed to support young artists and communities. Project(s) should focus primarily on live performance and/or visual arts and/or moving image.

3 Creative skills: practice to practice
Amount: up to £10,000 GBP
This category is for UK and ZW medium - large scale institutions, wishing to collaborate with each other, crossing borders, sharing excellence and expertise on ground breaking projects that raise the profile and awareness of institutions and their place in the cultural landscape.
We welcome applications that extend beyond the institutions and engage new audiences for arts and culture in the public realm.

INCLUSION CRITERIA
We are offering partners the opportunity to submit project proposals that meet our criteria and agree to adhere to the following:
 Demonstrate creative quality, innovation and excellence
 Offer a rewarding creative experience for artists, participants and audiences
 Have one applicant  - lead or supporting partner - in each country (Zimbabwe and UK)
 Are a partnership between creatives  in the UK and Zimbabwe
 Support the development of aspiring artists (18-35 years) guided by the needs analysis recommendations
 Raise awareness and create new connections between artists and audiences in Zimbabwe and the UK
 Show an innovative approach to digital communications as an integral part of the project
 Have a proven track record and experience of arts project delivery
 Fit within the agreed delivery timeline – all projects must start before March 2017
 Adhere to the British Council’s equal opportunities and diversity frameworks (as outlined on our website)

CROSS CUTTING ISSUES
Projects can be from any artistic genre / discipline and cross disciplinary projects are also welcomed.
We have a specific interest in the following cross-cutting issues:
 How cities are using creativity in their development
 Strengthening the role of women and girls in the arts
 Developing the business and digital skills of artists
 Innovative practice and approaches to digital communications
 Presenting a new understanding of Zimbabwe among young people in the UK

For more information on how to apply please download the documents below
Please direct all enquiries to opencallzw@britishcouncil.org.zw or contact Charmaine.Chitate@britishcouncil.org.zw