Deadline: 12 Jul 2024
Announcement: 01 Oct 2024
The Cultural Atelier in Yemen is a special program by AFAC, in partnership with UNESCO and funded by the European Union. Running from 2024 to 2026, this program aims to strengthen civil society organizations in arts and culture across Yemen. It offers these organizations the space and support to assess their resources, connect with audiences and stakeholders, explore new income sources, and develop their creative programs.
Background
This initiative builds on AFAC’s previous Arts and Culture Entrepreneurship (ACE) program, which ran from 2019 to 2022, addressing challenges in the Arab region’s arts and culture sector. The program also leverages insights from the 2021 AFAC-UNESCO partnership, which supported Yemeni CSOs through training.
Lessons Learned
Key lessons from the ACE program highlight the importance of tailoring approaches to the specific needs of each region. Working with 32 institutions from 10 countries showed that unique challenges and opportunities exist in every community. The Cultural Atelier in Yemen aims to build on these insights, providing tailored workshops, mentorship, networking events, and knowledge exchange opportunities.
Program Goals
The program addresses major challenges faced by Yemeni arts and culture organizations, such as fragile structures, limited funding, and lack of learning opportunities. It offers an experimental curriculum encouraging organizations to re-examine their mission, acquire new skills, and develop long-term strategies.
About the Program
The program aims to develop Yemen’s cultural and creative industries (CCI), empowering local CSOs to sustain their activities. It focuses on building local actors’ capacity, supporting CCI projects, and fostering artistic freedom and cultural expressions. The program also aims to provide skill-building opportunities for underrepresented communities, including women-led organizations and marginalized groups.
Program Components
- Workshops: Cover cultural management, financial management, strategic planning, governance, fundraising, communications, audience cultivation, artistic development, and cross-sectoral learning.
- One-on-One Mentorship: Focuses on the specific needs of each organization.
- Networking: Involves panels, visits, and gatherings to connect participants with local and international arts communities.
- Exchange Visits: Peer exchange trips for one member from each of the 15 CSOs to institutions in Arab countries.
- Small Grants: Support for selected projects based on their success and potential for further development. Includes mentorship tailored to each project’s needs.
Research Component
The program will launch research on Yemen’s cultural sector, aiming to inform both private and public sectors and the international community about funding challenges and opportunities. This research will include recommendations for future investment in Yemen’s cultural sector.
Who Can Apply
ACE Yemen accepts applications from Yemeni independent arts and culture entities, including organizations, exhibition platforms, online platforms, and social enterprises:
- Must have a physical presence in Yemen (except online platforms).
- Must have at least two years of experience.
- Must be registered in Yemen or outside.
- Must commit to attending all workshops and the mentorship process.
Applicants with open grants from another AFAC program are eligible. Those with a pending AFAC application should contact the AFAC grants management team for clarification.
How to Apply
Applications are only accepted through online forms on the AFAC website. The deadline for applications is July 12, 2024, at 5:00 PM (Beirut time – GMT+3). Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Evaluation Process
After the deadline, the AFAC grants management team will review all applications. Eligible applications will be sent to an independent jury for evaluation. The selected CSOs will be announced on the AFAC website and social media.
For inquiries, contact the AFAC grants management team.
