The British Council invites applications for the 2025–2026 Biennials Connect Grants, offering up to £9,500 to UK and international biennials or festivals in eligible countries. These grants aim to support the international mobility, visibility, and professional development of visual artists through festival and biennial collaborations.
By Creatives Unite CommunityDeadline for applications: 14 September 2025
Organiser: British Council
Who It’s For: UK and international biennials/festivals supporting visual artists' participation. Individual artists are not eligible to apply.
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What Is This About?
Biennials Connect Grants provide financial support for biennials and festivals to facilitate international artist participation. The programme promotes cultural exchange, new commissions, professional development, and audience engagement through artistic events taking place between February 2026 and February 2027.
What to Expect
- Grants of up to £9,500 (for ODA country partnerships) or £5,000 (non-ODA) are available to support:
- Artist travel and accommodation
- Artwork production
- Networking and skill-building
- Public events, residencies, and access costs
Festivals and biennials may only receive one grant per edition. Project activities must be completed by February 2027 and include final reporting and audience figures.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants must be:
- Biennials, festivals, or art organisations working in partnership with a biennial/festival
- Based in the UK or in one of the eligible international countries (full ODA and non-ODA country list available on the British Council website)
- Focused primarily on visual arts
- Supporting artists over the age of 18, with fair pay and access support as needed
- Aligned with the British Council’s values on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
- Applications from individual artists will not be accepted.
What’s Offered
Grant size:
- Up to £9,500 for UK/ODA partnerships
- Up to £5,000 for UK/non-ODA partnerships
- Optional £2,500 top-up for access-related costs (e.g. interpreters, assistants, accessible formats)
Priority will be given to projects that:
- Foster UK-international collaboration
- Engage early or mid-career artists
- Centre on ODA countries or underrepresented regions
- Support cross-cultural, community-based, or collaborative artistic practice
Submit your application online and before applying, carefully read the Application Toolkit and review eligibility criteria in British Council's official website.
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Image: Jackie Alexander on Unsplash
