“Connections Through Culture” Grants 2026

Connections Through Culture 2026 is an international grant programme of the British Council supporting new and existing partnerships between organisations and creative practitioners in the UK and participating countries. The programme funds collaborative artistic projects, professional exchange, international networking, intercultural dialogue and long-term cooperation. Priority is given to projects demonstrating reciprocal partnerships, equal collaboration, sustainability, inclusivity and lasting impact on professional development and the cultural sector. Both new and established international partnerships are eligible.

The programme is open to applicants that meet the partnership, legal and project eligibility requirements. Each application must involve a partnership between at least one UK-based partner and one partner based in an eligible participating country.

Key eligibility requirements include:

• mandatory participation of one UK-based partner and one partner legally based in an eligible participating country;
• eligible applicants may include individuals, organisations, cultural institutions, festivals, biennials, hubs, networks and collectives, subject to applicable legal and tax requirements;
• partners must be legally established in the country from which they are applying throughout the project delivery period;
• applications relating to festivals, biennials or showcase activities must be led by an organisation rather than an individual.

Partnership requirements include:

• appointing a Lead Partner responsible for managing the grant agreement, receiving and administering the grant, coordinating reporting and ensuring compliance with programme requirements;
• agreeing partner roles, responsibilities, budget arrangements and decision-making procedures before submitting the application;
• submitting a Partnership Letter of Intent as part of the supporting documentation.

The guidance also specifies that:

• projects that have already started or incurred costs before the grant agreement is signed are not eligible for funding;
• the programme does not support activities that fall outside the programme requirements or projects that are purely commercial and lack meaningful cultural collaboration;
• previous British Council grant recipients may apply only with new or substantially developed projects;
• existing partnerships remain eligible provided the proposed project clearly demonstrates new collaboration or additional value.

The grant programme supports a wide range of creative, arts and cultural projects that demonstrate meaningful collaboration, cross-cultural exchange and long-term partnerships between the UK and an eligible participating country. Projects may be delivered digitally, in person or through hybrid formats and may be at any stage, from research and development to delivery.

Eligible activities may include:

• co-creation and collaborative artistic development;
• residencies and professional exchanges;
• research and development;
• workshops, panel discussions, talks and knowledge-sharing;
• exhibitions, performances, presentations, festivals and biennials;
• digital innovation, including projects combining art and technology;
• curatorial practice, audience engagement and public programmes;
• professional development for artists and creative practitioners;
• interdisciplinary and cross-artform collaboration;
• capacity building and shared learning.

The programme also supports projects in architecture, design, fashion, craft, literature, music, theatre, dance, film, visual arts and creative technology. Eligible proposals may include residencies, new commissions, research and development activities, as well as individual phases of larger projects, provided they meet the programme objectives.

Showcase activities, festivals and biennials are eligible where they form an integral part of a collaborative project rather than serving only as promotional events. Translation, podcasts, stand-up comedy and creative technology projects may also be included where they make a meaningful contribution to artistic collaboration and fulfil the programme's eligibility requirements.

The grant programme follows a clearly defined timeline, from the opening of the call for applications through project implementation and final reporting.

Key stages include:

• Applications open on 17 June 2026 (12:00 BST).
• Application deadline — 12 August 2026 (23:59 BST).
• Eligibility checks and main assessment period — August to September 2026.
• Provisional selection results are expected from 14 October 2026 onwards.
• Grant agreements and grantee onboarding — November 2026.
• Project delivery period — from 1 December 2026 to 31 December 2027.
• The first grant instalment (80%) is expected to be processed between December 2026 and January 2027, subject to successful due diligence, submission of the required documentation and signature of the grant agreement.
• The final report must be submitted within one month of project completion and no later than 31 January 2028.
• The final grant instalment (20%) will be released after submission and approval of the final report, in accordance with the grant agreement.

The programme also offers online information sessions for prospective applicants:

• 30 June 2026 — two general information sessions for applicants from all participating countries.
• 1 July 2026 — thematic sessions for applicants working in festivals, biennials, architecture, design, fashion, craft and creative technology projects.

Applications will be assessed against a set of qualitative criteria covering the project concept, partnership, management approach, expected impact, and alignment with the programme priorities. No numerical scoring system is specified in the provided materials, but the assessment criteria are clearly outlined.

The assessment will consider:

• the quality and artistic or creative merit of the proposed project;
• the relevance of the partnership and the contribution of each partner;
• the feasibility of the delivery plan, budget and project management;
• audience or participant engagement and the expected impact;
• consideration of equality, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, environmental sustainability and social value.

According to the guidance, strong applications clearly explain the creative concept, demonstrate meaningful collaboration, present a realistic budget and timeline, define each partner's contribution, identify and manage project risks, and explain the intended outcomes together with how success will be measured.

Common reasons for unsuccessful applications include unclear partnership arrangements, insufficient evidence of collaboration, inadequate project detail, unrealistic budgets or timelines, missing supporting documents, or proposals that focus mainly on promotion rather than meaningful collaboration.

Applicants should prepare and, where applicable, submit the following supporting documents with their application:

• CV or biography if applying as an individual or where named artists, designers or practitioners are involved.
• Partnership Letter of Intent using the official template provided on the programme website.
• Links to a portfolio or examples of previous work, where applicable.
• Relevant permissions, licences or letters of support, where required.
• Confirmation of a festival, biennial, venue or public presentation, where applicable.

Following the award of a grant, recipients are required to comply with the reporting requirements set out in the grant agreement. The Lead Partner is responsible for coordinating reporting, managing the grant funding, and ensuring that all project partners comply with the programme requirements.

Key reporting obligations include:

• submission of a final report, after the approval of which the final 20% grant payment will be released in accordance with the grant agreement;
• coordinating timely reporting across all project partners;
• clearly defining partner responsibilities for budget management, reporting, communications, safeguarding, access provision, intellectual property and project decision-making;
• granting the British Council permission to use project information, images, recordings and other materials for non-commercial reporting, evaluation, communications and promotional purposes, as specified in the grant agreement.