Application

Requests for financial aid from the Afghanistan Cultural Fund should be simple and accessible for all, enabling the submission of proposals in the most effective manner possible.

The application period opened on July 1, 2024, giving applicants six weeks to prepare and submit their applications. The selection process commenced immediately after the deadline on August 15, 2024. The results are expected to be announced by the end of November 2024.
 

Open Calls 2024

Bühne mit Instrumenten Foto: Ali Omid. © Goethe-Institut

Music Projects

As part of our first call for proposals, Afghan artists can submit project proposals that celebrate the rich diversity of Afghanistan’s musical landscape. We look forward to proposals that reflect the wide range of musical genres and styles, from traditional songs to contemporary compositions. Eligible projects may include, among others, music productions, compositions, educational and outreach programs, research projects, or the preservation of music archives.

Following the model of similar initiatives by international funding organizations, we aim not only to support projects that preserve Afghanistan’s musical heritage but also to promote innovation and creativity in the music industry.

Storytelling Projects

Our second call for proposals focuses on supporting storytelling projects that capture the vast diversity of experiences and narratives of Afghan artists. We want to encourage cultural practitioners to explore the numerous ways Afghan life can be depicted in times of dramatic upheaval and challenges. This can include forms such as poetry, literature, and translations, as well as plays, films, photographic essays, or documentary formats.

Through these projects, we aim to give Afghan people, both in the country and in the diaspora, a voice and provide a platform for sharing their personal perspectives and insights. By supporting a wide range of storytelling projects, the ACF seeks to highlight the creativity and resilience of Afghan artists and contribute to a better understanding of Afghan society and culture.

Applications from female cultural workers and those at the beginning of their artistic careers are expressly encouraged. Additionally, we welcome proposals from collectives, including collaborations between artists in the country, exile, and in the diaspora.

Funding is awarded through public calls for proposals and selection processes overseen by independent juries.
Alongside the general framework for projects, we provide detailed requirements and guidelines, as well as FAQ and specific application instructions, on the application pages.

Grantee Selection Process 2024

The Afghanistan Cultural Fund (ACF) is dedicated to supporting cultural projects from Afghanistan and its diasporas in the fields of Music and Storytelling. The selection process is designed to be thorough and transparent, ensuring the highest quality of submissions are chosen.

The call for proposals will open on July 1, 2024. On that date, the application form will be accessible on the Goethe Institute’s application portal. Extensive outreach will be conducted to maximize awareness and participation. Applicants will have until August 15 to submit their proposals.

Following submission, the ACF management team will register and perform administrative checks on all applications to ensure they meet the guidelines. Those that pass this initial review will proceed to a detailed evaluation by a panel of expert jurors. Each application will be assessed based on relevance, quality, innovation, and feasibility.
The evaluations will then be compiled and analysed to create a pre-selection table, which will guide discussions during the ‘jurors’ meeting. Final selections will be reviewed by the Advisory Board, and the results will be announced on the ACF website.

Successful applicants will be contacted to finalize grant agreements and process initial payments. The total budget for the two calls is 250,000 Euros, with a maximum grant amount of 10,000 Euros.
However, ACF welcomes smaller projects with smaller budgets, ensuring a diverse range of initiatives can be supported. This structured and transparent process ensures that all applications are fairly considered and the most promising projects are supported.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Relevance (1-5)
    This criterion evaluates how well the project aligns with the call’s scope and genre, its significance in the current Afghan cultural scene, its inclusivity, and its connection to other elements such as social and gender issues, heritage preservation, and other artistic disciplines. Particular attention is given to projects from locations lacking infrastructure or those that add significant value to the topic.
     
  • Quality (1-5)
    Evaluates the overall clarity, coherence, and quality of the proposal and project idea, including the artistic level and contribution to the genre, as well as the quality of past experiences and projects.
     
  • Innovation (1-5)
    Focuses on the originality of the project, including innovative tools, artistic approaches or treatments, and topics such as transgenerational and transdisciplinary methods.
     
  • Feasibility (1-5)
    Examines the feasibility of the budget, the clarity and realism of the implementation plan, and the anticipated outputs and outcomes.