Bursaries available for professional development in the cultural and creative sectors
The Cultural and Education section of the British Embassy Moscow announce an open call for individual bursaries for professional development in the cultural and creative sectors.
The aim of the programme is to enable cultural leaders from Russia to experience the arts sector in the UK to build professional links with potential UK partners and to gain new skills and knowledge.
The programme was launched by the British Council in 2017. As a result of the first open call, representatives of ten Russian institutions in different sectors of the arts visited the UK to undertake short-term courses and/or research and meet partners.
In 2018 the Individual Bursaries programme is coordinated by the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Moscow.
We are looking for:
- leaders and senior managers representing Russian cultural and arts institutions and organisations across all cultural and creative sectors, including visual arts, performing arts, film and TV, literature and publishing, music, architecture, design, fashion, interactive entertainment and media and communications
- entrepreneurs, promoters, and professionals working across different cultural and creative sectors
- advisors and managers working in the cultural sector for local / regional / national bodies (eg city councils, urban and cultural regeneration initiatives, regional development organisations)
- academics and people developing the infrastructure for cultural education
Applicants are asked to submit a fully completed application form in .doc (.docx) format covering their professional needs and goals and a draft plan to achieve these with an individual bursary in the UK.
These opportunities may take the form of:
- participating in a short term course or a training provided by a UK cultural institution
- attending a professional cultural conference or an arts festival in the UK
- a short-term residency or secondment at a UK cultural institution
- a series of meetings with existing or potential UK partners
- a fact-finding visit or research trip for future UK-Russia cultural collaboration
Successful applicants will receive a grant of £3,500 (before tax) to implement their professional development plans.
Grants cover the following expenses:
- travel and visa: UK visa, international tickets, expenses related to travelling around the UK (bus, train, plane)
- accommodation in the UK (Airbnb or hotel)
- fees for short-term courses
- registration fees for conferences or forums, festival passes
- tickets to concerts, exhibitions and lectures as part of the plan
- purchase of relevant literature in English
Please note that the grant does not cover:
- meals and per diems
- in-town transport (public transport and taxis)
- purchase of items for personal use (medicine, clothes etc)
Applicants should:
- have a minimum of 5 years’ professional experience in the cultural and creative sectors
- hold a senior position in their organisation
- speak fluent English (Upper-Intermediate/Advanced)
- be a Russian citizen and hold a passport for foreign travel
Candidates who already have relationship with UK institutions and did not received a grant in 2017 will have preference.
Conditions
- the grant will be transferred after signature of a grant agreement between the grant recipient and grant awarder (the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Moscow)
- the grant will be transferred in Russian roubles, calculated at the exchange rate of the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Moscow on the date of signing the grant agreement (October 2018)
- tax at the applicable rate of 13% will be deducted from the grant before payment
- the grant recipient must provide a detailed project summary and financial report by 28 February 2019 (including original payment documents, receipts, tickets etc)
Timeline
- applicants must complete the application form and send it to CulturalSection.Moscow@fco.gov.uk by 23:59 on 16 September 2018
- shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview on 24 - 30 September 2018
- successful applicants will be contacted by 7 October 2018
- successful applicants must submit a detailed professional development plan and an estimated financial breakdown by 24 October 2018
- successful applicants will implement their professional development plan and submit a summary and a financial report to the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Moscow by 28 February 2019
The Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Moscow will conduct the selection process in line with equality and diversity policies.
Individual Bursaries for Professional Development are part of the Future Culture programme.
Future Culture is a professional development programme that aims to connect existing and emerging cultural professionals in Russia and the UK to help the cultural sector develop new ideas and knowledge, skills and networks to drive collaborations and partnerships between Russia and the UK.
Future Culture is a programme of activities designed to facilitate cultural networking by offering cultural leadership and cultural management courses in Russia and the UK, organising study visits to key UK arts festivals and showcases and running workshops and public lectures by arts professionals from Russia and the UK.