The British Council is delighted to announce the launch of “Cultural Leadership & Innovation 2013” a cultural leadership networking programme.

The initiative follows on from our successful CLI programmes in previous years, which began to establish international links between aspiring entrepreneurs, creative innovators and artists. This scheme has been tailored to focus on the Middle East and North Africa region, fostering talent and addressing issues specific to the countries therein.

We are looking for individuals involved in the creative sector who are seeking to develop their practice, company or business, or develop their role as a cultural leader. This new “Cultural Leadership & Innovation 2013” programme will provide a unique opportunity to interact with creative professionals outside your immediate sphere. Those accepted onto the scheme will be invited to “Innovation Labs” across the region (travel and accommodation provided), which will encourage collaborative proposals for further development with a view to applying for small grants. They will also offer participants a valuable learning experience with international experts and a strong focus on peer learning, innovation and developing new skills.

Applicants for the scheme should:

• ideally be aged in between 25-40. There are no age restrictions for this programme but because of the nature of the programme we recommend the age bracket acts as a short-listing criteria.
• already work in the creative sector (the arts/creative industries/cultural industries), with at least three years experience in their sector. They do not need to hold high-level positions, but they should be able to demonstrate their capacity to move forward in their career and take over leadership positions in the future.
• have English language skills to IELTS 5. This is an ESSENTIAL aspect of the programme, given its international nature.

Please fill in the application form and send to cli@lb.britishcouncil.org no later than 6 January 2013.

We look forward to receiving your applications. Alternatively, please feel free to circulate this information to any peers and colleagues whom you think would be interested in applying for the scheme, and who fit the criteria below. With your help we can build an even stronger network of creative leaders and pioneers within the region, encouraging new artistic partnerships and helping MENA’s most talented professionals to reach their full potential.

More information

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact the programme administrator at cli@lb.britishcouncil.org