The Connections Through Culture grants programme is designed to nurture fresh cultural partnerships between East Asia and the UK. These grants are instrumental in supporting new ideas and collaborations from artists and cultural organisations at any stage of development.

The grants supported in this round of Connections Through Culture programme have focused on two distinct areas: diversity and inclusion and, addressing climate change. The collaborative efforts across borders and artistic disciplines will lead to new thoughts and ideas created to address global challenges.

The grants support new connections, exchanges and collaborations. These grants help build long-term relationships and collaborations between artists, cultural professionals, creative practitioners and art and cultural organisations, hubs, networks, and collectives.

Connections Through Culture grantees 2023

Heather Lander

Heather Lander Heather Lander

Installation and projection artist, Residence with Tanah Indie

Heather received an MFA with distinction from the Glasgow School of Art along with the Bram Stoker Award in 2015, for the most imaginative artwork. She has received recognition for her practice from Glasgow Life, the Hope Scott Trust Foundation and Creative Scotland. She has recently exhibited at The Briggait as part of Glasgow International, the Hidden Door Festival in Edinburgh and the Spectra light festival in Aberdeen. Heather is now an Associate Artist with Cryptic, Glasgow.

Hendromasto Prasetyo

Curator

Ian Francis of Flatpack Festival

Ika Yuniati

Journalist, Harian Solopos

Ika is a journalist for Harian Solopos for arts and cultural sector whom also interested in writing about gender and inclusion issues. Aside from actively working at Harian Solopos, Ika has attended trainings and fellowships that focuses on gender and inclusion issues. She is also actively involved in social activities, at Ruang Solidaritas Jolijolan, and Kelas Inspirasi. 

Invisible Flock

Invisible Flock

Invisible Flock is an interactive arts organisation based in Leeds; Ben Eaton, Victoria Pratt and Richard Warburton. They make highly participatory live and digital work on a large scale. Described by the Guardian as 'real innovators' of digital & interactive art they are renowned for creating ground breaking hybrid work across forms.  

 

 

Irma Chantily

Programme Manager (Arts and Creative Economy)

Irma Chantily

Curator, Water Connections

Irma has recently embarked into new territory; the exciting overlapping area between arts and technology. She was the co-curator for  Jakarta Biennale 2015: Neither Forward Nor Back. She is currently a Senior Programme Manager responsible for building relationships in the arts and creative industries for British Council Indonesia, a freelance lecturer at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts’ Department of Photography, and curator of the Water Connections project in Liverpool. 

Ivan Bestari

Jack Lowe

Artist, curious directive

Jack studied French with International Relations (University of Warwick), movement (Lecoq, Paris) and Theatre Directing (MFA Birkbeck, London) and is currently working towards an MSc Water Security and International Development (UEA). Since 2008, he has been artistic director of curious directive, a Norwich-based devising company exploring life through the lens of science. 

James Cousins Company

James Cousins was the inaugural winner of Matthew Bourne͛s New Adventures Choreography Award in 2012, and since then he and his company have gone from strength to strength, performing across the globe.