The Abbara program was launched in 2011 in response to the sociopolitical events that swept many countries in the Arab region and with the intent to support independent cultural groups and organizations as key actors in the processes of societal transformation.
Program goals
- To support collective cultural work by training, equipping and guiding independent cultural groups and organizations in the course of their development to help them forge the most successful structures for cultural work within diverse social, political and cultural contexts.
- To contribute to the development of the cultural sector by testing alternative models and approaches to organizational sustainability, in general, and financial sustainability, in particular, with a focus on ensuring the stability and durability of independent cultural groups and organizations.
- To address the common challenges of independent cultural work across the Arab region by creating links between groups and organizations engaged in cultural work in the region to enable them to share learning, exchange expertise and develop mechanisms to support the independent cultural sector.
What does Abbara offer?
Towards the realisation of its goals, the program offers groups and organizations the following types of support:
- Financial support: Up to $25,000 in core funding to cover such basic operational costs as administrative staffing expenses, rent and upkeep of premises, running costs and website development. The funding does not cover programs activities. This support component lasts for at least 12 months.
- Training in cultural management: Abbara offers two cultural management training workshops supervised by experts in the field and carried out in collaboration with independent cultural organizations from different Arab countries. Abbara’s training component has evolved to include peer learning and address contemporary topics.
- Technical support: The areas covered by the technical support are tailored to each organization on the basis of a needs assessment conducted after the first workshop.
- Networking: The program provides a space for networking through activities organized within the framework of the program itself and that engage many cultural organizations from different parts of the Arab region. It also encourages Abbara’s beneficiary organizations to participate in other Culture Resource programs such as Imkan and Wasl.
How it works
- After the application period closes, the Abbara team performs a preliminary screening of the applications to ensure that applicants meet the eligibility criteria and have complied with the other application requirements.
- All the eligible applications are submitted to an independent jury approved by Culture Resource’s Artistic Board. The jury evaluates the applications on the basis of an established set of criteria devised for this program. After evaluating all the applications submitted to it, the independent jury nominates ten groups/organizations to benefit from the Abbara program.
- The Abbara team organizes the first training workshop on strategic planning and the management of cultural structures. The workshop is attended by two representatives from each of the selected beneficiary groups/organizations.
- Partnership contracts are signed with beneficiary groups/organizations.
- The Abbara team organizes a second workshop designed on the basis of the needs of the participant groups/organizations.
- Technical and followthrough support are provided to Abbara program’s beneficiary groups/organizations during the period of their participation in Abbara 6.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://mawred.org/grants-opportunities/supporting-the-sector-cultural-actors/abbara-2/?lang=en