Working Area One: Support
Context and Challenges
Art producers originating from or residing in Syria face significant challenges that obstruct their ability to create and produce. In many instances, they find themselves continuously displaced, compelled to start anew, and with limited opportunities to connect with audiences in their new environments.
At the same time, Syrian cultural organizations and groups face constant obstacles in their endeavours, struggling to sustain their work and share their experiences, even as there is a growing demand for them as essential platforms for their audiences and the communities they serve.
Despite the growing social, economic, political, and environmental crises, and all the challenges that come along with forced migration and displacement, Syrian art producers have nonetheless exhibited remarkable adaptability and flexibility, both as individuals and collectively. They are determined to harness the power of the arts and creativity, possessing a profound understanding of the diverse roles their practices fulfil at local as well as global levels.
What Do We Do?
We design comprehensive artistic support frameworks that empower Syrian individuals, groups, and artistic organizations by creating programmes that foster creativity and enhance the connection between artists and their audiences.
Our mission is to engage with the vibrancy of the creative sector and its contributions to enhancing the public life of Syrians, wherever they may be.
Our strategy is built on three key pillars
- Support the production of artists working in the independent Syrian and Arab art and cultural scene by offering art production grants, showcasing supported artists and their work, and connecting them to diverse audiences by tailoring frameworks suited to their different locations. We aim to diversify our engagement with different creatives in the sector by designing platforms for networking and knowledge exchange across Syria, the Arab world, and the diaspora.
- Cultivating partnerships at local, regional, and international levels to expand access, communication, and networking opportunities for Syrian artists of all genders and backgrounds, thus encouraging professional collaborations with their peers.
- Addressing the isolation that the Syrian cultural sector faces on a global level by forging connections with Arab and international experiences and contexts. We work towards strengthening the role, work, and sustainability of independent Syrian institutions and entities, thus enabling them to play a more significant role throughout the process.
The Impact of our Work
We prioritize investing in the creativity of Syrian artists, as well as in nurturing the environment where artistic and cultural organizations can thrive through various means of support, including grant schemes, networking programmes and activities, public and online forums, and exhibition platforms. These investments assist in amplifying the impact of Syrian artists’ contributions to their respective fields, expanding their engagement in public life, guaranteeing them a more sustainable future, and encouraging their continued presence within the cultural and social spheres in order to establish and expand their careers.
The Programmes
Laboratory of Arts, MINA Forum, Life, Rawabet, Zad
