Connections through Culture Grants 2026

Benefits & funding

• The 2026 round planned approximately £1.4 million in grants for international cultural collaboration.
• Country caps were £15,000 for Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Pakistan, Peru and Saudi Arabia; £10,000 for Mainland China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam and the six Western Balkan participating countries.
• Other caps were £9,000 for Egypt, £8,000 for Mexico, £7,500 for Kenya, £6,500 for South Africa, and £5,000 for Australia, New Zealand and Tanzania.
• The first 80% was scheduled after due diligence, required documents and a signed grant agreement; the final 20% follows approval of the final report.
• Eligible costs could include professional fees, travel, accommodation, equipment, materials, venues, production, promotion, access provision, translation and interpretation when directly related to delivery.

Eligibility

• Every application required at least one partner legally based in the United Kingdom and a separate partner legally based in a participating country throughout the application and project period.
• Participating countries were Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Mainland China, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Vietnam.
• Eligibility depended on where each partner was legally based and able to receive and manage funding, not on nationality or citizenship.
• Artists, creative practitioners, cultural professionals, arts and cultural organisations, festivals, biennials, hubs, networks and collectives could apply, subject to local legal, tax and registration rules.
• Visual Arts or Architecture, Design, Fashion and Craft festival, biennial or showcase projects had to be led by an organisation, festival or biennial rather than an individual practitioner.
• No degree or work-experience threshold was stated; higher-education students could apply as individuals only if aged 18 or over and legally able to manage the grant.
• Projects had to focus on arts, culture or the creative sectors, demonstrate meaningful collaboration, fit the delivery period and be submitted in English.

Application process

1. 1
   Identify one eligible UK partner and one separate eligible participating-country partner, then confirm that each can legally receive and manage the grant.
2. 2
   Agree the lead partner, roles, decision-making, budget split and delivery plan, and complete the Partnership Letter of Intent.
3. 3
   Prepare the project narrative, partner information, timeline, GBP budget with contingency, risk plan, audience and impact information, and applicable CVs, portfolios, permissions or presentation confirmations.
4. 4
   Create a free Good Grants account from the programme page and submit the completed English application before the deadline; drafts and incomplete submissions are not considered.

Program timeline

1. Applications opened at 12:00 BST.

   Jun 17, 2026

2. Applications closed at 23:59 BST.

   Aug 12, 2026

3. Eligibility checks and main assessment.

   August–September 2026

4. Provisional decisions communicated.

   From Oct 14, 2026

5. Grant agreements and grantee onboarding.

   November 2026

6. Eligible project delivery period begins.

   Dec 1, 2026

7. First 80% grant instalment expected, subject to contracting requirements.

   December 2026–January 2027

8. All grant-funded activity must end.

   Dec 31, 2027

9. Latest final reporting date.

   Jan 31, 2028