University of York’s Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR), through a grant from Open Society Foundations, is calling on artists and activists around the world to apply for COVID-19 funding of up to £3 000 ($3 750).

The funding is intended to support artists and activists in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and its implications for human rights defenders.

Objectives

• The CAHR recognises that collaborative endeavours between activists and artists have the potential to provide innovative responses to the current COVID-19 emergency, whether in a reactive, therapeutic or imaginative form.

The centre seeks applications from artists and activists to address one or more of the following three objectives:

• The document, monitor and analyse events in real-time.
• Reflect on well-being, both your own and that of your communities/organisations.
• Go beyond a reactive response to imagine new, alternative futures. This future-oriented work could assess how crises and disruption open up new possibilities for creativity and innovation, as well as for regressive and repressive measures, and/or build on positive responses to the virus itself (local and global forms of solidarity).

Expected outputs

Activists could write a diary, make a weekly podcast, write a blog, etc. Artists could work in their chosen media to respond to the activist’s contribution and/or to wider developments in their country/region. The CAHR is open to innovative suggestions on the nature of the collaboration between activists and artists.

Project proposals

Activists and artists should apply by presenting a single collaborative project proposal that does not exceed two pages in length and includes the following:

• A brief profile/bio of the artist(s) and activist(s) involved.
• A brief description of the project/programme of work, highlighting in particular how it responds to the COVID-19 emergency and its links to activism and civic/political space; which of the three objectives set out above it responds to; any safety, security and ethical concerns, and how these will be addressed; whether it builds on existing initiatives or is a new collaboration, and through which media/methodologies it will be carried out.
• The main beneficiaries and audiences of the project/programme of work and why the methodology/medium is appropriate for the local context.
• Details of additional sources of funding or contributions.
• The envisioned output(s) of the project/programme of work, for both the activist(s) and artist(s).
• The amount of funding you are applying for, and a brief justification for the specific amount requested in the form of a basic budget and justification of resources (subsistence/salary costs can be included). It is envisaged that most grants will be for between £1 000 and £2 000. Additional justification will be required for larger awards, up to £3 000, for example, that the application involves groups of activists and/or artists.
• One appendix featuring examples of artistic work can be included in the application. The appendix can be additional to the two-page application.
• While applications need to be in English, activist and artist outputs that are in part or completely in local languages are welcome.

Criteria for assessment

• Clear description of the link between COVID-19, and responses to the virus, on the one hand, and threats to activism and civic/political space on the other, affecting either the artists/activists making the application and/or their country.
• Evidence of a strong working relationship between the artist(s) and activist(s).
• Feasibility and relevance of the project in challenging and difficult circumstances (including consideration of safety, security and ethics).
• Evidence of innovation and creativity.