The British Council has officially launched its flagship Connections Through Culture (CTC) grants program for the first time ever in Pakistan. The initiative is designed to seed-fund bilateral creative collaborations, cross-cultural exchanges, and long-term institutional partnerships between creative practitioners in the United Kingdom and 35 participating countries worldwide, including Pakistan.
The program will include two legacy British Council scheme: Biennials Connect (Visual Arts) grants and the Architecture, Design and Fashion Biennials and Festivals Grants. This consolidation forms a single, streamlined funding platform supporting artistic expressions ranging from visual arts and music to literature, performance, architecture, design, and film.
James Hampson, Country Director, British Council Pakistan, said: “Connections Through Culture is supporting artists and organisations from the UK and Pakistan to co-create new work and build great partnerships.”
Applications for the 2026 cycle are open to creative practitioners, cultural professionals, artists, creative hubs, festivals, biennials, and organisations. To be eligible, projects must demonstrate a meaningful collaboration involving at least one UK-based collaborator and one partner legally established in a participating nation.
To assist regional applicants in navigating the application criteria and developing highly competitive applications, the British Council will host a series of information sessions led by our in-country Arts Managers.
Tuesday, 30 June 2026 08:00 – 09:30 BST | BSL interpretation available
Countries included: Pakistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Mainland China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, UK, and Vietnam.
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
All participating territories.
Funding and Eligibility
Projects must involve at least one UK-based partner and one partner from an eligible country. Funding amounts are up to £15,000 for Pakistan. Eligible activities include co-creation, residencies, research and development, collaborative exhibitions, and public programs.
The applications for CTC close on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at 23:59 BST. Applicants are strongly advised to consult the official 2026 application toolkit and comprehensive FAQs, available on the British Council website, prior to submission.
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