Shubbak invites Arab & SWANA artists and creatives based in the UK, Europe or the region to apply for our Seed Commissions, a programme designed to support space for imagination before production.

This is a call for ideas in formation, ideas that are unfinished, unruly, untamed. If ‘the present we practice is a portal; the future we dream, irresistible’ speaks to your practice, we want to hear from you.

Why Seed Commissions?

We recognise the constant pressure on artists to deliver, even before they have the time or resources to think. This seed programme is our attempt to interrupt that cycle.

These commissions exist to give you:
- time to explore
- space to think, dream, and plan
- support to shape an idea into a fundable proposal

We expect to have shaped your idea into a fundable proposal within 4 to 6 weeks. There is no expectation of a finished product at the end of this period - we’re supporting you to tune into your idea with clarity and direction so that we can support you with a proposal to funders.

What We’re Offering

Three Seed Commissions (£500 each)

Each selected artist will receive:

  • £500 to support one month of idea development
  • Creative coaching with Shubbak’s Artistic Director & CEO. A space to sense-make and further shape your idea
  • Supporting you with writing and submitting an application to a funder with the possibility of presenting the work at Shubbak Festival 2027
  • Space in our office one day/week for a period of 6 weeks

The invitation: “The present we practice is a portal; the future we dream, irresistible”

We invite projects that respond boldly to this theme - politically, socially, poetically, or structurally. We’re particularly interested in:

  • Artists working at the sharp edge of systemic change, with particular interest in cross-sectoral practice (eg working with civil society organisations, mutual aid groups, policy-making…etc)
  • Practices rooted in lived experience, resistance, and experimentation on a range of themes from climate change to migration.
  • Ideas that flip the script, imagining new forms of solidarity, care, justice, or cultural disruption
  • Artistic risks, bold ideas and non-linear processes

This is a seed commission to support the artistic processes often overlooked - the ideation phase. 

Who Should Apply?

This call is for Arab & SWANA artists & creatives based in the UK, Europe and/or the region. We invite anyone interested to apply and we particularly welcome proposals from:

  • Artists we have never worked with before
  • Disabled, Black, queer, working-class, and systemically marginalised artists
  • Interdisciplinary makers, creatives, and cultural experimenters

What We’re Looking For?

We will prioritise applications that demonstrate:

  • A strong connection to ‘the present we practice is a portal; the future we dream irresistible’ theme, centering the role of art & creativity in worldbuilding, activating imaginations, cultural organising and/or civic society.
  • Clear alignment with Shubbak’s ethos of bold, contemporary SWANA creativity rooted in social justice and transformative change
  • Artistic curiosity, risk-taking, and stretching your practice
  • A commitment to working with us to submit at least one funding application on your behalf, and the possibility of presenting the work at Shubbak Festival 2027 should both parties agree to proceed

A process-led approach that adopts decolonial, consensual, non-hierarchical and/or collectively-led practices

How to Apply

Please submit:

  1. A short description of the idea you want to explore (max 300 words or video/audio up to 3 mins)
  2. Why this idea matters to you now and how your proposal speaks to ‘the present we practice is a portal; the future we dream, irresistible’ (max 200 words or video/audio up to 2 mins)
  3. A brief bio or CV + portfolio
  4. Access needs, if any

We have tried to shape this call so that it takes no more than 2 hours of an applicant’s time to complete. We’re curious to know how you get on so please let us know. 

Applications should be submitted to recruitment@shubbak.co.uk by 3 February 2026. Applications will be reviewed & assessed by an Advisory Group. 

We expect to contact successful candidates by week commencing 9 February 2026. If you do not hear from us by then, please assume your application was not successful this time. We encourage you to keep an eye out for future opportunities. 

We look forward to hearing from you!