Arts Research Opportunity to Study Women’s Agency in Egypt

The organisation will need to research and investigate the role of these cultural spaces in shaping the autonomy, agency, and collective voice of women in the artistic and cultural sectors in Egypt.

Recognizing the importance of intersectionality, the research will examine how factors such as socio-economic background, geographic access, and other intersecting identities influence women’s experiences and outcomes in these spaces.

The study will assess the challenges and benefits that these spaces offer to women artists and cultural professionals and also provide actionable recommendations for improving the support for women artists in these contexts. This opportunity is open to companies globally. Proposals from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and Egypt are encouraged.

Aims

• This research aims to provide a nuanced understanding and assessment of the impact of supporting spaces for free artistic expression on women artists and cultural practitioners in Egypt. It also aims at specifically using an intersectionality lens analysing the impact on gender and other forms of underprivilege (socio-economic-educational backgrounds).

Parts Overview

• The research will be divided into two interrelated parts.
  • Part one:
    • situation/gender analysis:
      • Analyze the status, roles, and representation of women, gender relations, in the arts and culture sector. The analysis will uncover barriers to gender equality and propose strategies to create a more inclusive and equitable cultural landscape.
      • The gender analysis will address the following key areas:
        • Representation and participation
        • Leadership and decision-making
        • Policy and programmes
        • Cultural narratives and aontent
        • Economic and financial aspects
        • Intersectionality

• Part two: assessment of the impact of supporting initiatives and spaces for free expression on women:
  • Assess the role of artistic spaces in enhancing individual and collective agency among women artists in Egypt.
  • To explore how intersecting factors—such as socio-economic status, education, and geographical access—shape the experiences and opportunities of women within these spaces.
  • Analyse the relationship between artistic expression and women’s autonomy and empowerment. This includes understanding how engagement with art influences women’s voice, decision-making power, and ability to challenge gender norms.
  • Examine the impact of supporting artistic spaces on engaging in social dialogue and community engagement Examine how these spaces facilitate collaboration, networking, and solidarity among women artists and cultural practitioners, and their role in fostering dialogue.
  • Examine the work the British Council has done to create the art spaces and how British Council support has contributed towards promoting gender equality through these spaces.
  • Provide recommendations to enhance the accessibility and impact of these spaces, including suggestions for the British Council arts programming in MENA .

Funding Information

• The budget range is between £15K and £25K.
• Duration: Nine months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Extensive experience and understanding of the arts and culture scene in Egypt and MENA region.
• Extensive experience and understanding of gender issues and how they intersect with other forms of exclusion in the context of art and culture.
• Access to the arts and culture networks in Egypt ensuring representative sampling for the research.
• Experience in producing high-quality mixed methods research in a challenging context where access to data and beneficiaries may be limited/challenging.
• Understanding of the MENA context of gender equality and culture. Applicant is required to provide evidence of their track record and experience of work in the MENA region.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Fluent in Arabic language speaking and reading.
• Ability to travel and move freely in Egypt.

For more information, visit British Council.