UK/Viet Nam Season 2023 Collaboration Grants Round 2 (Closed)

Climate and the Environment: Tackling the threats of climate change is a shared priority for the citizens and governments of the UK and Viet Nam. We invite responses from across the arts and creative industries to find innovative and creative solutions that deepens knowledge and raises awareness about protecting and sustaining our planet towards shaping a better, more liveable environment for communities. 

Shared Heritage: The UK and Viet Nam has a rich and deep historic relationship built on trade and diplomatic engagement. We invite responses from across the arts and creative industries that share, reflect, and explore the UK and Viet Nam’s ties through cultural heritage in all forms (tangible and intangible) seeking to create contemporary dialogues, stimulate new narratives, and spark the creation of new initiatives and works inspired by the past. 

Up to £10,000 grant
Up to £30,000 grant 
Up to £50,000 grant

Project proposals should be collaboratively developed and delivered by at least one UK-based organisation and at least one organisation based in Viet Nam.

All the grants are open to arts and cultural organisations, as well as higher education and research organisations with arts and cultural focus.

An ‘organisation’ is defined as a legally registered entity with a registered bank account, and can include collectives, consortia, and community, charity, private and public organisations.

Proposals by unregistered entities such as artist collectives or non-formal professional networks might be considered if accompanied with evidence of a strong track record in developing and delivering projects and programmes of similar scale and nature. 

Proposals must demonstrate excellence in at least one of the thematic areas: Climate and the Environment, or Shared Heritage. We welcome proposals from any artform or with cross artform elements, as well as proposals with themes relevant to the creative economy, or linked with festival and art in the public realms. We are interested to receive joint projects which are interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary (i.e. combining art, science, technology, education).

We are looking for:

• Thought-provoking public engagement events that will appeal to general audiences, such as conferences, symposia, panel discussions, and talks.
• Small, medium, and large-scale artistic performances, exhibitions, interactive installations, and other cultural events. 
• New and creative ways of designing and offering professional development and network building opportunities for artists, creatives, academics and researchers, such as residencies, workshops, open studios, open labs, and other co-creation opportunities. 
• Interactive activities which will attract and inspire younger audiences through innovative use of digital technologies and ICT, such as Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR).

Our cross-cutting themes of gender, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), equitable access (via digital and/or education technologies) and innovation, should be addressed and embedded in all proposals.

Proposals can be for face-to-face or digital and/or an innovative combination of the two. 

All or part of the event/activity must be presented in Viet Nam between June 2023 to December 2023 as part of the Season celebration.

The grant can cover project costs including:

• Staff costs, including existing or new staff assigned on the project
• Professional fees
• Training costs
• Research costs
• Translations and interpretation fees
• Materials, new equipment, or rental of equipment specifically required for the purpose of the project
• Additional overheads such as online subscriptions for apps or tools, utilities, etc. needed to accommodate project activities
• Communication and promotion costs
• Venue, catering and security costs
• Travel (including visa and insurance), accommodation, and subsistence costs
• Evaluation, data collection and report writing costs.

Please note:

• The grant cannot be used for general company/organisational running costs or retrospective project funding.
• The grant recipient is responsible for paying any taxes and bank fees in relation to their grant. These costs should be included in the project budget at the time of applying.
• Applicants will need to make their own travel, visa, and insurance arrangements.
• Artists, creatives and professionals should be paid fairly, and this should be reflected in the project budget plan.
• We welcome in-kind contributions i.e., venues provided in-kind.
• Where budgets are more than the available British Council grant, proposals can explore other external funding sources, provided that the total amount of other funding sources are equal or less than the British Council grant. Applicants should indicate on the application whether other funding is confirmed or pending.
• Applicants will be asked to indicate whether the UK partner or the Vietnamese partner is the lead applicant. If selected for grant award, the contract will be signed with the lead partner.

Your project proposal will be assessed across the three following areas, which are also clearly marked in the application form to help you prepare your proposal. 

• Aim, thematic, and viability: 40%

Does the project proposal support the aim of the Season in elevating UK – Viet Nam bilateral relationship? Is it of a high quality and achievable?
Evidence that the project is supporting the aim of the Season 
Evidence of focus on the thematic areas
Evidence of viability of project: achievable objective(s), clear activity outline and expected result(s), feasible timescale and budget plan, demonstrable ability of partners to deliver, and proven track records

• Partnership, contribution, and legacy: 30%

Does the project support UK and Vietnamese organisations to strengthen and further develop their partnership? Does it deliver benefit to individuals both from the UK and in Viet Nam?
Evidence of sound, effective and mutual partnership 
Evidence of developed discussions between UK and Vietnamese partners 
Evidence of benefit to individual artists, arts and heritage practitioners and organisatons, academics, researchers from the UK and in Viet Nam
Evidence of how the partnership will be sustained and developed beyond the proposed project

• Innovation, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), sustainability, safeguarding, and monitoring and evaluation: 30%

Does your project approach encourage new and creative ways of doing things? Evidence of innovation
Evidence of consideration to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) issues as well as measures to address these issues in proposed activities
Evidence of how projects are reducing their carbon footprint as well as measures to address sustainability issues in proposed activities
Evidence of consideration to safeguarding issues as well as measures to address these issues in proposed activities
Evidence of a monitoring and evaluation plan

• Open Call launched: 14 December 2022
• Information Session: 19 January 2023
• Open Call closed: 5 February 2023 (23:59 UK time)
• Successful projects notified: 28 February 2023 
• Contract signed: April 2023
• Public-facing activities for projects: June 2023 – December 2023

All applications must be submitted via the online application form by 5 February 2023 (23:59 UK time).

We recommend that you refer to the information in this page and the two documents below (UK/Viet Nam Season 2023 Collaboration Grants Round 2 Application Guidance and UK/Viet Nam Season 2023 Collaboration Grants Round 2 Budget Plan Template) when preparing your online application. Please note that we cannot accept applications sent to us via email.

We advise you not to wait until too close to the deadline to submit your applications to avoid unwanted technical issues.