Cultural Protection Fund

Organisation: British Council

Role: Director, Arts - strategic leadership for the Cultural Protection Fund

The British Council, in partnership with the Department for Culture Media and Sport, launched the new £30 million Cultural Protection Fund in June 2016 to safeguard and promote cultural heritage in conflict-affected regions overseas.

The Fund aims to protect and preserve physical monuments and religious sites, as well as 'intangible' heritage: inherited traditions, beliefs and cultural identity, passed down through generations – all of which have been increasingly under threat in the Middle East and North Africa as so-called Islamic State has gained power in the region.  

Successfully funded organisations will work in conflict-affected countries – such as Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Afghanistan –building skills so that local experts can protect their own cultural assets for future generations; ensuring that sites under threat are documented, conserved and restored; and helping local people to identify and value cultural heritage. 

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