Arts Canteen and Liverpool Arab Arts Festival are delighted to open applications  for the first edition of Maharat مهارات  (Arabic for Skills), our development programme for emerging creative professionals. 

The programme is designed to offer an introduction for people of Arab origin to working in the creative industries, including music, film, events, performing arts  and festivals. We will give five ambitious, curious, and emerging creative  professionals from Arab backgrounds, who are based in England, the opportunity  to develop their craft and professionalism. Participants will make vital new  professional connections through tailored mentorship and training. It will serve as  a key moment in helping kick-start their careers in the creative industries. 

The programme will take place in two parts: 

• a series of 5 online seminars, panel discussions, and workshops that  brings some of the most influential industry experts that Arts Canteen and  Liverpool Arab Arts Festival invites based on the needs of the five  selected creative practitioners 
• 2 mentorship sessions from other industry professionals, based on the  practitioners’ needs and areas of interest 

The programme will run over five months between August and December 2021  and take place online via Zoom for the group sessions.  

1-2-1 sessions will either take place online or in person, dependent on location of  the mentor and participant and current Covid-19 guidance. All the sessions will  be run by Arab creative professionals based in both the UK and overseas. 

To be considered for the scheme, applicants must be based in England and be of  Arab origin, with less than two years experience of working in the creative  industries.  

Successful applicants will receive an honorarium of £50 per session (£350 in total). 

In order to apply, please complete this application form before 19 July 2021. 

Maharat is kindly supported by Arts Council England and DCMS as part of the  Culture Recovery Fund.