Deprecated: json_decode(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($json) of type string is deprecated in /var/www/html/afac-website/news-read.php on line 16

Deprecated: json_decode(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($json) of type string is deprecated in /var/www/html/afac-website/news-read.php on line 37
AFAC
© Faris Ishaq
On Musical Heritage, Migration and Intimate Melodies: Announcing our 2024 Music Grantees
5 / 11 / 2024

EN

Eighteen projects have been selected for support under our 2024 Music grant cycle. The projects range from albums to workshops, training initiatives and musical tours. Through music, they seek to preserve cultural heritage amid adversity and risks of endangerment, shed light on struggles linked to migration and exile, and dive into the personal to address grief, loss, and melancholy.

The 2024 projects were selected by the Music jury committee, composed of Simsara founder Sarah El Miniawy (Egypt), Grammy Award-nominated composer Tareq Rantisi (Palestine) and musician, composer and cultural manager Imed Alibi (Tunisia). Following their deliberations and the final selection, the jurors issued the jury statement below:

    As the jury for this year's AFAC Music Program grant, we were pleased to review a number of projects which exemplified the rich diversity of the Arab world. We were encouraged to see thoughtful and distinct engagement with individual and regional heritage in several submissions.

    While many compelling projects were submitted, we could not fund them all this cycle. Still, we were impressed by the depth of talent and encourage those whose work wasn’t selected to reapply in the future. Indeed, not receiving funding in this round was by no means a reflection on the strength or value of the work submitted.

    In making selections, we aimed to strike a balance between providing support for young voices and for those exploring new sonic territories. We wanted to pay attention to more vital and essential needs and initiatives given the ongoing genocide and the intensification of colonial agendas in the region, as well as to recognize and support projects from diverse parts of the region to honor the variety of artistic expression in different cultural contexts. We also decided to support organizations with a track record of impact within their communities, ranging from those working to preserve archives to initiatives driven by community-focused organizations with the potential to create lasting cultural and social value. Further, we wanted to give feedback for future applicants. Several projects showed promise but lacked clarity in their objectives, execution, and budgeting. We recommend applicants develop stronger links between their ideas and planning, with a focus on longer-term thinking. Thoughtful budgeting—particularly how a project can be phased over time—will also help reduce financial strain and make projects more feasible.

    And when it comes to the content of the projects themselves, in some cases, they could have benefited from less formulaic methods that would allow for a more natural and intuitive development. This is related to the challenge of translating musical endeavors into written descriptions. As such, we recommend that artists and institutions not rely on genres, labels, and influences unless they have a meaningful and substantial connection to them. Too often, the application narratives did not align with the sound or essence of the accompanying supporting material.

The Music 2024 projects selected by the jurors