Arab Fund for Arts and Culture

As the largest fund for independent artists and cultural institutions in the Arab world, AFAC serves the collective necessity to pursue bold ideas, reclaim space, and share stories from our region on our own terms.

Culture shapes how we see ourselves, how we remember the past, and how we imagine the future. Independent voices are being silenced by war, repression, and economic collapse. Youth, who represent the region’s largest demographic, are largely excluded from cultural production and denied platforms to shape their futures. The threat of talent drain and cultural fragmentation has never been higher.

Since 2007, we have supported over 2,400 projects across 22 countries and their diasporas, awarding over $40 million in grants. Our model sustains not only the production of art but the long-term resilience of the cultural ecosystem. 

AFAC stands at the forefront of expression—investing in independent storytellers, visionaries, and institutions who challenge convention, spark dialogue, and preserve the richness of our collective narratives. We must act now to preserve cultural sovereignty and ensure that artists continue to imagine, question, and build the future of the region.

Our support spans cinema, music, literature, performance and visual arts, documentary photography, research, and critical training, reaching emerging talents and established voices, from the heart of the region to the edges of the diaspora.

AFAC is more than a funder. We are a platform for connection, advocacy, and continuity. Through open calls, mentorship, strategic partnerships, and direct support to institutions, we create ecosystems, for the region and by the region, that allow independent culture to thrive.

At a time when global attention often overlooks the nuance of Arab realities, AFAC helps ensure that our stories—rooted in diversity, contradiction, and creative force—are not just told, but heard, remembered, and felt. We invite you to imagine a world where every voice can create, connect, and contribute to the cultural future of the region.

With your support, AFAC can:

• Sustain and expand critical funding for artists and institutions
• Launch bold new programs in underserved geographies
• Build a long-term ecosystem for Arab cultural philanthropy