Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC)

The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) is an independent philanthropic foundation created in 2007 by Arab cultural activists to fill a major funding gap for arts and culture in the Arab region. Headquartered in Beirut and registered in Switzerland and Lebanon, AFAC supports individual artists, writers, researchers and cultural organizations across the Arab world and its diaspora. Its mission is to nurture a flourishing, diverse and critical cultural scene that contributes to open and vibrant societies.

Since its inception, AFAC has raised more than 57 million USD and granted over 43 million USD to projects, supporting more than 2,000 projects and hundreds of institutions in at least 20 Arab countries. The fund’s portfolio spans cinema, documentary film, photography, visual and performing arts, music, creative and critical writings, research on the arts, training and regional events, and special thematic programs such as Ecologies of Culture.

AFAC operates primarily through open‑call grant programs with clear guidelines, deadlines and online application forms. Its core programs include Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music, Cinema, Documentary Film, Creative and Critical Writings, Training and Regional Events, Research on the Arts, and the Arab Documentary Photography Program. In addition, AFAC launches time‑bound or partnership programs such as hardship funds, solidarity funds, North Africa cultural programs and collaborations with Netflix or other partners.

Grants typically finance project development, production and post‑production, and may cover research, materials, equipment rental, fees for artistic and technical collaborators, and a capped share of artist or producer fees. For example, the Documentary Film program offers up to 10,000 USD for development, up to 50,000 USD for feature‑length production and up to 25,000 USD for post‑production, with separate amounts for short and mid‑length films. Other programs define their own ceilings and timeframes but generally support projects over a maximum of two years.

AFAC supports both individuals and institutions. Most grants are open to nationals or residents of Arab League member states, whether they live in the region or abroad. Non‑Arab institutions and producers may be eligible when their projects focus on the Arab region or involve Arab directors. AFAC accepts only online submissions during defined open‑call windows, usually of about three months per program. Each applicant can typically submit only one project per open call. Applications must include a detailed project description, budget, and representative samples or work‑in‑progress materials; incomplete files are not considered.

Selection follows a two‑stage process. First, a readers’ committee screens eligible applications and creates a shortlist, based on published evaluation criteria. Then, an independent jury for each program reviews shortlisted proposals and decides on final grantees and award amounts. AFAC emphasizes autonomy and transparency by rotating jurors annually and publishing audit reports and annual reports that detail funded projects and financial statements.

AFAC’s grantees include emerging and established artists, with a significant share of support going to emerging talents and women artists. Approximately three quarters of grantees are individuals, and the remainder are organizations and institutions such as theaters, festivals, residency spaces and cultural centers. Projects cover a wide geographic spread across North Africa, the Levant, the Gulf and the wider diaspora, with some global collaborations.

Beyond grants, AFAC invests in training and mentorship, particularly through the Arts and Culture Entrepreneurship program and documentary photography initiatives. It also builds and shares knowledge through surveys, evaluations, infographics and commissioned studies, using its database of thousands of applications and projects to map trends and impacts in the Arab cultural field.

AFAC is audited annually and publishes detailed audit reports and annual reports, reflecting its commitment to financial transparency and good governance. It diversifies its funding base by combining institutional donors, government partners, corporate sponsors and individual philanthropists. Initiatives such as the Arab Creativity and Entrepreneurship Fund mobilize local philanthropy to secure long‑term sustainability for independent Arab arts and culture.