A New Cultural Initiative in Lebanon 

The Prince Claus Fund and the A.M. Qattan Foundation have launched ‘SELAT: Links through the Arts’, a grant-making programme in support of cultural initiatives in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. SELAT will amongst others provide grants in support of projects by young Palestinian artists in Lebanon in the fields of visual arts, performing arts and literature. This pioneering programme will run for three years with a budget of € 310,000.

SELAT will promote cultural life in the camps, focusing on emerging artists and new creative practices. The project also aims to strengthen links between the camps’ cultural practitioners and their peers in Lebanon and abroad. The initiative followed a recent survey of cultural organisations and activities in Lebanon’s twelve Palestinian camps.

SELAT will give priority to projects overcoming the barriers resulting from the isolation and socio-economic difficulties in the camps. It will also prioritise initiatives capable of building links with the local Lebanese communities as well as regionally.

The A.M. Qattan Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, founded in 1993 and registered as a charity in the UK. Since its establishment, the Foundation has worked towards the development of culture and education, targeting a variety of social groups, with a particular focus on children, teachers and young artists. It considers the two principal areas of culture and education as central to any long-term and consistent process of human development.

Please read more on the website of the Qattan Foundation