The British Council's Architecture Design Fashion team has set up a grant scheme to support participation by UK-based designers and architects at international biennales and festivals

Since 2016, ADF has supported presentations by UK architects and designers across ten international platforms: São Paulo Architecture Biennial, Moscow International Biennale, Days of Architecture Sarajevo, Dhaka Arts Summit, Toronto Design Offisite, Beijing Design Week, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Milan Salone del Mobile, Santiago Design Biennale and the central exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale. This year, we invite organisers of international biennales and festivals to submit proposals for grants to support the participation of UK-based designers. 

Eligibility Criteria 

International architecture and design biennales and festivals outside the UK wishing to showcase work by UK-based architects or designers are eligible to apply.

Grants are not designed for research and development, but to facilitate implementation of activities with UK-based designers, such as collaborations and exchanges, exhibitions, installations etc. 

Priority will be given to:

• activities involving designers in early stages of their career, i.e. within 10 years of practice;
• projects addressing social impact as a result area;
• and projects that foster collaboration with local designers/architects.

Biennales and festivals which have received grants within the last 2 years are not able to apply.

Terms of the Grant

Grants will be offered by the British Council’s Architecture Design Fashion department to the biennale or festival organiser to cover specific costs in relation to the presentation of work by UK architects or designers. Activities must take place between September 2019 and September 2020.

Application Process

International biennale or festival organisers interested in presenting work by UK-based designers should send an expression of interest by 31 July 2019 and submit full applications by 31 August 2019. 

Full criteria and the application form can be downloaded here.