How did this grant contribute to the realization of your project in regard to artistic exchange, local cultural development and/or the promotion of cultural diversity?

This travel grant allowed me two important opportunities: 1- Be able to attend a residency program at Kultur Kontakt, Austria for 3 months. During the residency, I finished a feature movie I've been working on since October 2016. Originally commissioned by ET4U organization in Denmark, KulturKontakt support in part the post production process. They covered the cost of professional color grading at Zone Media. 2- Be able to meet with Branko Franceschi, the director of Galerjia Umjetnina museum in Split (Croatia), to discuss a future collaboration.

How does exchange, networking and international contacts contribute to the development of your artistic and cultural project?

It is essential for my practice to travel for residencies and such opportunities. It gives me the time and space to research and execute new projects with no distractions. Moreover, an essential element to my practice is interacting with new audiences. My work investigates the possibility of speaking to audiences regardless of differences of culture and language. That's why I rely on humor as a universal language. Through artist residencies, I meet new curators and fellow artists. This always opens the door for new possibilities of new collaborations with different curators and art spaces. As a professional artist, I rely on such connections to develop my career and expand the chances of exposure for my work.

Please indicate a link to your current work (website/facebook page)

https://bassemyousri.com