British Council’s Women of the World grant recipients announced

The British Council on Saturday announced thirteen grants as part of WOW – Women of the World Bangladesh 2025–26.

The newly awarded grants will empower three regional WOW Chapters and support ten artist-led Commissions across Bangladesh, read a press release. These interdisciplinary projects will address gender equity, climate justice, technology, heritage, and public space, illustrating how arts and culture serve as catalysts for gender equality and social transformation.

WOW – Women of the World is a global movement working towards a gender-equal world through arts and culture. In Bangladesh, WOW began with divisional chapters in 2017, culminating in a national festival in Dhaka in 2019. This festival began in the UK in 2010 and was founded by Jude Kelly.

Since 2016, the British Council has partnered with the WOW Foundation to deliver programmes internationally, placing arts and culture at the centre of conversations on gender equity, agency and representation. 

For the 2025–26 cycle, two open call initiatives invited proposals from artists, cultural practitioners, and arts organisations from both Bangladesh and the UK. Following a competitive selection process, thirteen grants have been awarded to support a diverse range of innovative projects that will be developed and delivered throughout the year. These projects aim to generate meaningful outcomes and contextualize gender within contemporary society and local realities.

Stephen Forbes, Country Director Bangladesh, said, “Congratulations to all the WOW grantees this year, who have demonstrated their dedication and talent in showing how arts, culture and community‑led innovation can inspire new ways of thinking about gender equality, climate justice and the futures we want to build together. We are delighted to partner with the WOW Foundation to support these artists and arts organisations as they challenge norms, amplify underrepresented voices and open pathways toward a more inclusive, equitable and hopeful future for Bangladesh.”

The WOW Bangladesh Grants 2026 celebrate thirteen remarkable grantees who are reshaping feminist expression across performance, climate action, technology, and cultural heritage. Among the WOW Bangladesh Chapter projects, Shadhona and Nrittoshilpi Foundation Bangladesh are bringing feminist writing vividly to the stage. COTAKE’s ecofeminist initiative connects women’s empowerment with climate resilience, heritage, and artificial intelligence, while in Bandarban, Green Milieu leads a vibrant, youth-driven celebration of Indigenous creativity.

In the WOW Bangladesh Commissions category, Alyesha Choudhury is advancing community-led climate solutions through her project, Sowing Seeds. Spardha Independent Theatre Collective, HerStory Foundation, Palash Bhattacharjee, and Saiqa Shabnam Chowdhury are exploring gender, community, and identity through experimental theatre and multimedia art installations. Jennifer Reid will reimagine the traditional bioscope as a platform for displaced women’s voices in her project, The Women’s Bioscope. Meanwhile, NINAD will address how harassment and silence shape daily life, weaving women’s testimonies with men’s reflective voices to highlight gaps in societal awareness.

Additionally, the Center for Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics (IUB) will lead an eight-month public engagement programme to tackle the underrepresentation of women in astronomy by creating safe, women-led dark-sky observation camps. Saiqa Iqbal Meghna and Suvro Sovon Chowdhury will explore gender-inclusive urban spaces, while Sharmillie Rahman examines shifting identities within digital systems through her curatorial project.

Together, these projects reflect the urgency, imagination, and transformative power of feminist creativity in Bangladesh.