Round two is now open! See below for how to apply or read about the successful projects from round one here.
With physical travel for artists still at a standstill, it’s time to reimagine international ways of working. We know that even to meet up online and dream takes capacity, so today we launch a new partnership between the British Council and Unlimited. The partnership supports pairings of disabled artists and collectives in the UK with those in selected countries to develop creative connections through small shared online work collaborations. The aim is to ensure that funds continue to flow to artists and artistic global ambition remains high during this time of global pandemic. Abby Hoffmann shares the details…
Disabled people around the globe faced unique and unprecedented additional challenges in 2020 – due to lack of access, stereotypical assumptions and ableism and, for some, increased clinical susceptibility to COVID-19. As vaccines beckon and ‘new normals’ emerge, both Unlimited and the British Council want to ensure disabled artists are able to respond confidently with alternative options and models to do what they always do: help us imagine the world differently.
We want 2021 to be a year of building – relationships, bridges, connections, and new dreams that take the best of what we have learnt from lockdown and amplify it, taking us forward into a more sustainable future for all. One thing that we have all realised is that geographic distance needn’t stop us collaborating or planning ahead. This new fund has been designed to respond to this time, providing space and opportunity for up to 20 pairs of artists or collectives to be supported to begin those processes.
International arts projects sometimes focus on wealthier countries. However, with this initiative, we aim to strengthen links between UK artists and practitioners from countries that are low to middle-income.