The British Council has opened applications for the 2021 “Connections Through Culture (CTC)” grants until September 5, 2021.

The bilateral grants program supports cultural exchanges and collaborations between artists and arts organizations to nurture cooperation and long-lasting relationships between the UK and for 2021, six Southeast Asia (SEA) nations: Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Prior to Covid-19, this would have most likely involved international travel. However, with travel restricted and uncertain, the CTC grants will be used to develop and strengthen new and existing relationships and provide funding to promote dialogue and explore the possibilities of online collaboration.

Initiated in 2019, CTC grants promote arts and cultural exchange between the UK and Southeast Asia to spark innovative ways for participants to collaborate through the arts.

Last year, the grant allowed artist-educator Nathalie Dagmang and Keel University cultural geographer and educator Deirdre McKay to bring Filipino labour migrants into conversation with artists, family members and policy makers across the diaspora through an online space called ‘Kamustahan Art Projects’. Participants presented their artwork through a virtual exhibition to honour the contributions of Filipino migrant workers in the time of Covid. 

Artists, arts professionals and art group/collective representatives from the six SEA countries and the UK are eligible to apply for the online grants valued up to 8,000 GBP.

A new alumni scheme is also open for previous CTC UK-SEA grantees, with value up to 2,000 GBP.

Grantees may use the fund for projects, platforms and conversations between October 2021 to February 2022. Successful applicants will be announced end of September 2021.

Applicants can find full information on the SEA pages of the CTC grant:

British Council Indonesia | British Council Myanmar | British Council Malaysia

British Council Thailand | British Council Philippines | British Council Vietnam

To apply and for general enquiries, please email ctc@britishcouncil.org.

Press Release