Creatives across Wales and France are invited to apply for grants from the new Wales in France Cultural Fund announced today. A key part of the Welsh Government's Year of Wales in France 2023, the £100,000 grant programme is available to artists and creative organisations to collaborate across the two countries.
Delivered by the British Council in partnership with Arts Council of Wales / Wales Arts International and the Welsh Government, the Fund is designed to spark new and refresh existing connections between Wales and France, supporting collaborations that build long-term relationships among artists, creative practitioners, & arts and cultural organisations.
The Year of Wales in France has put a spotlight on Welsh culture, language and identity, and the new Cultural Fund will support creatives to make the most of stellar global events including the Rugby World Cup and the Paris Summer Olympics. The Year of Wales in France will run until March 2024.
Open to individuals and organisations working in the field of culture, creativity and wellbeing, the Wales in France Cultural Fund is now open with a deadline of 9am BST, 30 June 2023. Applications must be a partnership between at least one organisation or individual in Wales and one in France. The application process is managed by British Council and guidelines and more information is available on their website here. Applicants will be notified of decisions by Friday 7 July 2023.
Officially announcing the Fund, First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said:
"Reinvesting in relationships between Wales and France to build the strongest possible cultural, social and economic ties is at the centre of what our Wales in France year hopes to achieve. I am delighted to formally open this fund, which will facilitate the development of Welsh artistic and cultural networks in France, and showcase Welsh culture, heritage and language to new audiences, building Wales’s reputation and recognition on the global stage.
Wales and France’s relationship is centuries old, and these cultural connections are a major part in remaking that relationship in contemporary world and helping us work together on the challenges that our two populations share."
Maggie Russell, Chair of Arts Council of Wales is delighted that artists from Wales will be part of this exciting year of Wales in France, adding:
"It’s an opportunity to put a spotlight on Wales’s unique diverse culture and languages, and to collaborate creatively on rugby pitches, in showcase events or in local community centers in Lyon, Nantes or Marseilles and beyond. In Wales, the arts play an important role to promote our wellbeing, and that of future generations.
The Arts Council of Wales is pleased to co-fund a programme that builds on recent showcases or collaborations between Wales and France. National Dance Company Wales’s half time performance at Stade de France during the France v Wales 6 Nations match or Hijinx Theatre’s learning and collaborating programme with France’s l'Oiseau-Mouche are two examples."
Ruth Cocks, Director, British Council Wales concluded:
"The Wales in France year is already producing some fantastic creative work, and it’s wonderful to see new collaborations forming from Cannes to Cardiff, Paris to Prestatyn. The new fund is a fantastic opportunity for creatives across Wales and France to connect, and we look forward to following grantees and the impact that is generated from what I’ve no doubt will be remarkable collaborations."