British Council Biennials Connect Grants 2025–2026

Opportunity type:  Grant

For: Festivals, and arts organisations

Deadline: 14/09/2025

Rewards:Up to £9,500

Location Eligibility: Some countries

About this opportunity

The British Council’s Biennials Connect Grants support visual artists’ participation in UK and international biennials and festivals. These grants fund travel, new artwork production, networking, and professional development for artists involved in biennial or festival exhibitions. Projects must begin by February 2026 and conclude no later than February 2027.

Priority is given to projects that:

• Support early- or mid-career visual artists
• Foster international collaboration between artists and organisations
• Are based in, or engage with, Official Development Assistance (ODA) countries

Involve artists whose practices are collaborative, cross-cultural, or community-based

Recipients of Official Development Assistance (ODA)* 

Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela and Peru  

East Asia: The mainland of China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Viet Nam and Thailand 

Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Algeria and Morocco 

Sub-Saharan Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe 

Wider Europe: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan 

Non-ODA 

East Asia: Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Korea  

European Union: France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania and Spain 

Middle East and North Africa:  Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman 

*Official Development Assistance is UK taxpayers’ money that supports aid and development in low- to middle-income countries. We deliver programmes that promote economic development and welfare in these countries which contribute to building friendly knowledge and understanding with the UK.

Rewards

• £9,500: For UK organisations working with artists in ODA countries, and vice versa
• £5,000: For collaborations between the UK and non-ODA countries
• £2,500 additional (optional): For access needs like interpreters or captioners

Eligibility

Must be a:

• UK biennial or festival supporting international artists
• International biennial or festival supporting UK artists
• Visual arts organisation partnering with a biennial/festival

Projects must:

• Be primarily focused on visual arts
• Involve artists aged 18+ who can travel if required
• Include new collaborations or new projects with previously supported artists
• Be delivered between Feb 2026 – Feb 2027

 Individual artists cannot apply directly.

Entry Fee

Free

How to Apply

Apply using the link: British Council Biennials Connect Grants

All questions regarding this award should be sent to visual.arts@britishcouncil.org