Culture Resource has introduced an exceptional component to its Stand for Art program which supports artists and cultural actors from the Arab region who are in danger or at risk because of their artistic output or cultural activities or because of circumstances in their environment, whether in their home countries or abroad, that threaten their security and wellbeing. The new component expands the scope of the program to cover artists, cultural actors and technicians who have suffered hardship due to the unusual circumstances precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, above all by the cancellation of the cultural and artistic activities and the closure of the spaces that host and/or organize them.

Who is it for?

This exceptional component is designed for those artists and cultural actors and technicians who have been the most severely harmed by the repercussions of the pandemic. This category includes individuals who receive no support from a professional syndicate, work in the informal artistic sector, depend on irregular incomes, have families to support, are elderly or in fragile health, or have been forced to be away from their homes.

Eligibility criteria

  • The applicant must originate from an Arab country regardless of ethnicity and citizenship status or whether they are currently residing in the Arab region or abroad;
  • The applicant must be an artist, technician in the independent cultural sector or a cultural actor;
  • The circumstances or conditions that the applicant describes must be verifiable.

How to apply?

  1. The artist, cultural actor, or technician sends an email describing the nature of the hardship they are experiencing as a consequence of the pandemic to [email protected];
  2. After evaluating the request for meeting the eligibility criteria, the program team sends the applicant an application form to be completed in Arabic only;
  3. When submitting the application, the applicant should attach all supporting documents mentioned in the form.

Selection process

The program team together with a three-member jury of experienced cultural actors regularly examine the submissions and evaluate the extent to which the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic have been detrimental to the applicants’ right to a dignified life. Priority is given to the individuals most affected by the pandemic. The amount of support is determined in accordance with the applicants’ needs, the cost of living in their country of residence and the program budget.