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SHARJAH / WAM
The Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) has announced the opening of applications for three open calls as part of its annual programs in cinema, publishing, and comic storytelling. These opportunities aim to support contemporary creations by artists, art practitioners, and cultural producers from the region and around the world.
The foundation invites local and international filmmakers to submit their films for the eighth edition of the Short Film Production Grant at the Sharjah Film Platform, an annual festival celebrating independent cinema. The grant provides necessary support to complete short films that explore contemporary cinematic perspectives, with the winning film required to have its premiere at one of the upcoming platform editions.
Independent filmmakers of all ages and from all regions and genres can apply for the grant, provided that the film does not exceed fifty minutes, including its introduction. Applicants must submit a three-minute introductory video showcasing the film’s overall vision, including its genre, theme, structure, and plot, as well as the originality of the submitted script and their artistic and creative skills.
Winners will share a total of AED 120,000 (approximately US$ 30,000 ) based on their number and production needs. Applications can be submitted before the deadline at 11:59 PM UAE time on June 19, 2025.
The foundation has launched a publishing grant inviting cultural professionals, including researchers, writers, translators, editors, publishers, and nonprofit institutions, to submit project proposals for a total fund of $30,000, to be shared among several winners. The projects must demonstrate intellectual, visual, and material excellence, with a deadline of August 17, 2025.
The grant targets underrepresented voices in experimental and critical publishing from or connected to regions such as Southwest Asia, North Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Americas, the former Soviet Union, and the Balkans, including diaspora contexts in the West.
Additionally, a call for contributions has been opened for the seventh edition of “Corniche” a comic anthology featuring artists from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), aiming to broaden participation and creative diversity in the publication.
“Corniche” embraces experimental and diverse storytelling formats, welcoming personal narratives, sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, and art history. Selected artists will join a three-day forum to exchange ideas before final stories are compiled. Applications are open until 11:59 PM UAE time on June 30, 2025.