British Council’s Connections Through Culture Grants 2025 Now Open for Applications

The British Council has officially opened applications for its 2025 Connections Through Culture (CTC) Grants—an international grant programme designed to foster artistic collaboration and cultural exchange between the UK and a select group of countries across Asia, Europe, and Australasia. The CTC grants aim to build long-lasting partnerships by supporting new joint creative projects between artists, cultural practitioners, and organisations.

Following the success of its 2024 edition, which funded over 84 projects across 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the programme returns with an expanded geographic scope and increased opportunities. In 2024, the programme invested over £741,000 in cross-cultural projects ranging from Deaf-led music events to international theatre collaborations and climate-themed digital art residencies.

About the 2025 CTC Grants

The 2025 CTC Grants will support approximately 90 projects, offering funding of either £5,000 or £10,000. The grants are intended to initiate and develop collaborative, innovative cultural projects that engage audiences, share expertise, and explore creative practices. Projects can take many forms, including residencies, exhibitions, performances, digital showcases, workshops, publications, and more.

Both digital and in-person collaboration models are eligible, and hybrid formats are encouraged to accommodate diverse forms of cultural exchange.

Application Deadline: 23 June 2025 at 15:00 BST
Project Start Date: From October 2025
Notification of Award: Mid-August 2025

Who Can Apply?

Applications must be jointly submitted by at least one UK-based partner and one partner based in a participating country. Both individuals and organisations are eligible.

Eligible Countries:
Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Mainland China, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam.

Applicants must reside in the country they represent and comply with legal or tax requirements in their respective jurisdictions (e.g. registration as a sole trader or company).

Grant Amounts

• Up to £5,000: For collaborations between the UK and partners in Australia or New Zealand.

• Up to £10,000: For collaborations with partners in all other eligible countries.

Priority Themes

While all artforms are welcome, proposals that respond to one or both of the following themes may be prioritised during the selection process:

• Diversity and Inclusion

• Climate Action and Sustainability

The programme encourages applications from both new and previous collaborators and places a particular emphasis on equitable and co-created cultural partnerships.

Eligible Artforms

CTC Grants support a wide array of artistic and cultural practices, including:

• Visual Arts

• Music

• Theatre and Dance

• Film

• Literature

• Architecture

• Design and Fashion

• Creative Technologies (e.g., XR, AI, gaming, immersive media)

Cross-artform and interdisciplinary proposals (e.g., combining art with science or technology) are highly encouraged, as are initiatives supporting creative economy development, such as research, policy advocacy, and capacity-building projects.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted via the British Council’s online application portal by the deadline of 23 June 2025 (15:00 BST). The application form allows collaboration, so the lead applicant can invite their partner(s) to co-complete the submission.

Apply Here

Why Apply?

This is a unique opportunity for creatives and cultural organisations to:

• Gain international exposure and experience

• Access funding for collaborative and community-engaged projects

• Develop cross-cultural relationships and networks

• Contribute to global conversations on diversity and climate change through art

For more funding and cultural collaboration opportunities, stay tuned to opportunitiesforyouth.org.