Connections Through Culture 2026
Our Connections Through Culture grants support artistic collaboration between the UK and participating countries around the world.
Bolero Bangkok City Ballet, Thailand. Credit: Bangkok City Ballet
Applications for the 2026 round of Connections Through Culture grants closed on 12 August and we received a record number of applications from 35 countries.
Provisional selection outcomes are expected to be communicated from 14 October 2026 onward.
Applicants should note that this timeline is indicative and may be subject to change depending on the number of applications received, assessment timelines, due diligence requirements, contracting and any country-specific requirements. A provisional outcome does not mean that funding has been formally confirmed. Successful applicants will still need to complete the required due diligence checks, provide any requested documentation and sign a grant agreement before funding can be released.
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Connections Through Culture (CTC) grants are designed to enable meaningful partnerships, cross-cultural exchange and long-term collaboration between the UK and participating countries.
Grants of between £5,000 and £15,000 are available to support creative practitioners, cultural professionals, artists, organisations, festivals, biennials, hubs and collectives to develop and deliver projects across a range of themes and art forms.
In 2026, CTC incorporates grants programmes formerly known as Biennials Connect (Visual Arts) and Architecture, Design and Fashion Biennials and Festivals Grants. Read our application toolkit and FAQs for more information.
It is also our major Arts grants programme for 2026, in place of International Collaboration Grants.
On this page you will find full details on how to apply, including information on participating countries, grant amounts, eligibility and assessment criteria, as well as a collection of resources to support you in your application.
Key dates
- Applications open: Wednesday 17 June 2026
- Application deadline: Wednesday 12 August 2026 at 23:59 BST*
- Notification of decision sent to applicants: from October 2026
- Online information sessions: the sessions have now taken place but recordings can be found on this page under 'Applicant Guidance Toolkit'.
- Project delivery must take place between December 2026** and December 2027.
*We strongly recommend that you submit your application well in advance of the deadline and allow enough time to resolve any technical issues, upload all required documents, and check that your application has been formally submitted.
**Please note: successful applicants must not start funded activity or incur grant-funded costs before a grant agreement has been signed.
About the grants and how to apply
Click to expand the sections below to read in-depth information on the grants and eligibility.
Participating countries
Applications must involve collaboration between at least one UK-based partner and at least one partner based in an eligible participating country. Each partner must be legally based in the country they are applying from at the time of application and throughout the project activity period.
Participating countries: 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, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, UK, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam.
Grant amounts for each country
The maximum grant amount is awarded per project or partnership, not per partner. The grant must cover the full partnership activity, including costs for both the UK partner and the partner based in the participating country.
Below are the grant amounts between UK-based partners and those in the countries indicated.
- Up to £15,000: Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia.
- Up to £10,000: Mainland China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestine, Philippines, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Balkans (including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia).
- Up to £9,000: Egypt
- Up to £8,000: Mexico
- Up to £7,500: Kenya
- Up to £6,500: South Africa
- Up to £5,000: Australia, New Zealand, Tanzania
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants may include:
- Artists and creative practitioners
- Arts and cultural organisations
- Festivals and biennials*
- Cultural professionals
- Creative hubs, networks and collectives
- Organisations working across arts, culture and the creative sectors.
- Applications involving projects organised by, or taking place as part of, Visual Arts, Architecture, Design, Fashion and Craft festivals should be made by the festival or biennial organisation, rather than by individual artists, designers or practitioners.
Eligible art forms
Projects can span a broad range of themes and art forms, including:
- Architecture, Design, Fashion and Craft
- Creative Technology, including digital arts, XR/immersive, and games
- Film
- Literature
- Music
- Theatre and Dance
- Visual Arts
What can the grants be used for?
Download the Applicant Toolkit below for the full eligibility criteria.
Eligible activity may include:
- Co-creation and collaborative* artistic development
- Residencies and exchanges
- Workshops, panels, talks and knowledge-sharing activity
- Research and development
- Collaborative exhibitions, performances, presentations and showcases
- Festivals and biennials activity
- Digital innovation
- Showcasing activity (including biennale and festival participation, where the showcase constitutes a collaborative project between partners in the UK and participating countries)
- Public programmes and audience engagement
- Artist, designer, practitioner or participant development
- Capacity building and shared learning
- Interdisciplinary or cross-artform activity
*For further clarification of our definition of ‘collaboration’ please see our FAQs page.
Online information sessions
The online information sessions have now taken place, but recordings of a general information session and sector-specific session can be found below.
Accessibility
If you require access provision to complete your application, please contact us through the Enquiry Form. Please include appropriate details, such as the type of access provision requested, any estimated costs, a brief explanation of what the provision is needed for, and how it will support the applicant to complete the application.
We encourage applicants to contact us as soon as possible so that we can respond to your needs in advance of the application deadline. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and we aim to respond within 3 to 4 working days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? Read our full list of Frequently Asked Questions, covering in-depth information on eligibility and the application process.
Read the FAQs
Get in touch
If you have a specific question not covered in the FAQs, please contact us through our dedicated CTC Enquiry Form.
Contact us
Applicant Guidance Toolkit
Before beginning your application, please download and read the below Application Guidance Toolkit in full, and visit our FAQs page above for further information.
Connections Through Culture 2026 Applicant Guidance Toolkit.pdf
Application questions preview
You can download a copy of the application questions to help you prepare your responses before, or alongside, completing your application in Good Grants.
Please note that this document is provided for preparation purposes only and cannot be submitted as an application. The questions displayed in Good Grants are the official application questions and may differ slightly where conditional questions apply.
If you require any access support or alternative arrangements to complete your application, please contact us using the enquiry form.
Connection Through Culture 2026 - Application Questions.pdf
Partnership Letter of Intent
This template is provided to support applicants in confirming partnership arrangements at the application stage. Please complete the template, ensuring it is signed by all project partners, and upload alongside your application on Good Grants under Section 7: 'Partnership Collaboration'.
Connections Through Culture 2026 Partnership Letter of Intent.docx
Ready to apply?
When you’re ready to apply, you can begin your application through Good Grants at the link below.
Deadline for applications: 12 August 2026 at 23:59 BST
Start your application
Past projects
Read more about projects funded through previous rounds of Connections Through Culture grants.
Find out more
Dates: 17th Jun 2026 - 12th Aug 2026
Tags:
- Opportunity Type: Grants
- Art Form: Architecture Design and Fashion, Creative Economy, Culture and Global Challenges, Film, Literature, Music, Theatre & Dance, Visual Arts
- Region: Americas, East Asia, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, UK, Wider Europe