Deadline : 19/06/2022
Credit : European spaces of culture
European Spaces of Culture (2019-2023) is testing innovative collaboration models in cultural relations between European and local partner organizations in countries outside the European Union. At the heart of the project lies a new spirit of dialogue, in which equality, mutual listening and learning represent the core values that help build trust and understanding between peoples. It was initiated by the European Parliament as a Preparatory Action and attributed to EUNIC by the European Commission.
The project contributes to the implementation and further development of the EU’s strategic approach to international cultural relations by testing and evaluating innovative cultural relations work worldwide, gathering policy and practice recommendations and refining the concept of international cultural relations work. Over the course of three phases (2019 2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023) EUNIC has received funding from the European Commission (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture, EAC) to implement the project by means of three Calls for Ideas, of which this is the third.
Goals :
The Preparatory Action European Spaces of Culture and its pilot projects aim to seek new ways of collaboration in cultural relations, following a number of guiding principles, which reflect the EU strategy for international cultural relations and the EUNIC Strategic Framework 2020-2024:
Encourage people-to-people contacts through a bottom-up approach, based on local consultation and co-creation;
Go beyond projection of the diversity of European cultures;
Focus on the process as well as on outputs and outcomes: a new spirit of dialogue, mutual listening and learning, where partners are on equal footing and engage in a joint capacity building process.
Eligibility :
Eligible proposals include any suitable project format, focusing on arts, creative industries, development cooperation, digitalization, education, gender, heritage, human rights, social inclusion, sports, sustainability, tourism, youth, and others. As preparatory activities for the project research, feasibility studies and capacity building initiatives are possible. With a view to learning from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Call is open to innovative digital or hybrid formats of cultural relations projects.
Pilot projects should take place between 1 January and 31 October 2023 and take place in one (or more) non-EU country(ies) – applicants are encouraged to investigate transnational and transregional projects. Activities are based on the principles of cultural relations as reflected in both the EUNIC Strategic Framework 2020-2024 and the Joint Communication “Towards an EU strategy for international cultural relations”: building fair partnerships by practising mutual listening and learning and engaging in dialogue, co-creation, and joint capacity building.
Project team requirements:
A minimum of three Full EUNIC members is required, with the exception in countries with limited EUNIC member presence. In such cases it must be made clear why the threshold of three EUNIC members is impossible to achieve. Both EUNIC members’ headquarters and their local branches (direct or mandated) are eligible. It is not required for EUNIC members to be structured in a cluster. When in doubt about whether a potential partner can participate in a project, do not hesitate to contact the EUNIC team.
The project team must actively engage the EU Delegation(s) in the concerned country(ies). For countries where there is no EU Delegation established, the EEAS Headquarters could function as partner.
A minimum of three key local cultural partners. Partners can be civil society organizations as well as public bodies.
Project teams are furthermore encouraged to be as inclusive as possible and involve more local partners and other European actors that are not members of EUNIC.
All partners are required to submit written support letters in the proposal.
Organizations can be involved in multiple applications at the same time.
To ensure inclusive and shared ownership among the project partners from the start, the project teams are required to form a shared coordination team consisting of one full EUNIC member, the/an EU Delegation, and one key local partner. This coordination team will together form the first contact point for the EUNIC Office concerning the project.
For legal reasons, only an affiliated EUNIC member can sign the funding agreement with the EUNIC Office and consequently receive the funding on behalf of the entire project team. Affiliated members are those whose headquarters signed up with the EUNIC Office to the project European Spaces of Culture, see below. Bear in mind that this is purely an administrative role.
Financial aspects :
Applicants can request up to EUR 60,000 in total, with the possibility to spend maximum EUR 5,000 in Step 2. Teams can also choose to apply for the full amount for Step 3 only. Co-funding from the partners or any third party is not required but highly encouraged. Co-funding from the EU Delegation is not allowed. All applicants should submit a draft outline budget, already estimating the costs of potential implementation of the project. A budget template is provided to that end.
Eligible costs are those related to the project and its actions (honorariums for artists and experts, travel and accommodation, catering, rental of venues, printing material, etc.) including the hiring of external coordinators/consultants to carry out certain components of the project (studies, mapping of resources, PR/communication, etc.).
Costs not eligible are those related to the purchase of equipment, overhead costs (organizational costs unrelated to the project), the project partners’ permanent staff costs, as well as costs related to the development of infrastructure. In-kind contributions cannot be included in the overall budget of the project.
Application:
The following documents need to be submitted to: spacesofculture@eunicglobal.eu
Useful links :