Grants awarded across two strands to individuals and organisations working in arts, culture, and heritage across the West Midlands to support and expand international work abroad and at home.
Global Creative Legacy Grants
Supporting international collaboration between the West Midlands and partners in ODA (Official Development Assistance) eligible countries. The Creative Legacy Grants will especially support the legacy of projects and partnerships developed through recent major events in the West Midlands, such as Birmingham 2022 Festival or Coventry City of Culture.
West Midlands Future Growth Grants
For individuals and organisations seeking to develop their practice through international work.
The WMCA, in partnership with British Council, launched a new small grants programme for artists, creatives, and organisations to boost their international profile, create new partnerships abroad, and promote their work on a global scale.
A total of 20 grants between £2,500 and £8,000 across our two strands of funding: the Global Creative Legacy Grants, and the West Midlands Future Growth Grants have been awarded to freelancers and a diverse range of organisations including those working with a variety of ODA Countries.
We are pleased to be supporting a variety of artforms including theatre, photography, dance, craft/jewellery, and music with freelancers, organisations and delegates working with partners from across the world such as; Bangladesh, Kenya, Kosovo, China and the United States.
The legacy of these funds will lead to new exhibitions, improved cultural festivals, international collaborations, and a strengthened creative eco-system for the region.
What are the stats?
Applications have been funded within the West Midlands Combined Authority region, 70% of the awards have benefitted ethnically diverse led organisations or freelancers from a minoritized ethnicity, demonstrating our commitment to supporting creatives and artists who face barriers to receive sector funding, 30% of the grants have supported disabled freelancers and organisations and the funds have also supported women to engage in international partnerships, with 65% of the final amount of grants being awarded to women or to women led organisations.
Who has been awarded?
FUTURE GROWTH GRANTS:
- CJ Lloyd Webley | Jamaica - to work with Jamaican creatives and artists to develop the play "Nanny's Home", exploring the complex relationship of the Windrush generation and Jamaica.
- Selina Thompson LTD | China - Exploring family structures & dynamics in China through the eyes of disabled artists & other marginalised groups.
- Capsule Ltd | Netherlands - To attend Le Guess Who Festival in Utretch, Netherlands, one of the most forward-thinking festivals in the world and is a peer to Supersonic festival.
- Gazebo Theatre | United States of America and Canada - To develop long term collaborative relationships in Seattle, USA, undertaking sharing of ideas, knowledge transfer, exchanges & workshops.
- Jasmine Gardosi | Philippines - Building a network with the LGBTQ+ community & creative scenes in Manilla, Philippines to engage in performances, knowledge exchanges & workshops.
- Kois Miah | Bangladesh - A photography project capturing the everyday existence of the Sundarbans honey harvesters as they experience the devastating effects of climate change.
- Collaborations in Photography | The United Arab Emirates (UAE) - Funding a delegation of artists to develop a new partnership with Gulf Photo Plus. This will provide an opportunity to meet with leading international gallerists, curators and artists, which has the potential to expand and propel their practice.
- Propel Dance CIC | USA - To fund a number of dancers to participate in Dearborn 2024 Para Dance Sport USA Open. This opportunity will have a transformative effect on their individual capabilities and on Propel Dance’s future.
- Elizabeth Zeddie Lawal | Ghana - To develop an existing relationship with the artistic community in Ghana, leading to a new immersive show and long-term collaboration with Ghanaian artists.
- Sahjan Kooner | Canada - This grant will support a residency and professional networking to promote a collaborative project in Toronto, Canada to explore themes of post-coloniality and migration.
- The Bone Ensemble | Finland - An R&D project to develop partnerships on the island of Stor Pelling, Finland. The result of which will influence a new creative project analysing the complexities of island life.
CREATIVE LEGACY GRANTS:
- Master Peace Academy CIC | Kenya - Working with local jewellery makers and miners in Kenya to develop relationships and invest in the creative community.
- Notnow Collective | Bosnia & Herzegovina - Developing a collaboration with artists and creatives, examining the collective experiences of grief and loss in the post-colonial and post-conflict memory.
- House of Emanuel I and I C.I.C | Ethiopia -Funding a cultural delegation to Ethiopia, focusing on street art, sustainability, and cultural unity to foster cultural education and bridging diverse heritages.
- TECTUM Theatre CIC | South Africa - Working with early-career South African musicians and actors to develop the musical language and test out new material with actors in the Market Theatre space.
- Friction Arts Ltd | Indonesia - Delivering a series of workshops and collaboration events in Bandung, Indonesia and undertaking research into socially engaged artists in the region, and to share experience and expertise.
- We Don’t Settle CIC | Botswana - Developing an artist-in-residence program in Botswana, specifically focussed on supporting artists from underrepresented backgrounds, culminating in the co-creation of an exhibition and online gallery.
- Outdoor Places Unusual Spaces | India - To develop a partnership with Serendipity Arts Festival with the intention to foster innovative international collaboration.
- Extraordinary Us CIC | Rwanda & Kosovo - The Weight of War will be an internationally co-created performance exploring themes of inherited grief whilst asking the question ’when does the war actually end?’. The opportunity will strengthen existing relationships and enable a deeper insight into their cultures.
- Bright Young Minds | Ghana, Malawi, Zambia & Jamaica - Working alongside established authentic cultural dance tutors/choreographers to share their skills, knowledge and dance techniques within a short series of master classes and performances.