Deadline: 17 March 2020

European Commission is seeking proposals to strengthen cultural cooperation with and competitiveness of cultural and creative industries in the Western Balkans.

Objectives

The overall objective of this Call is to foster reconciliation and good neighbourly relations in the Western Balkans through cultural cooperation and creation.

The specific objectives of this Call are:

• to increase cultural cross-border cooperation within the Western Balkans region and the EU Member States;
• to strengthen the competitiveness of the cultural and creative industries in the region.

Priorities

• • Increase the capacity of cultural and creative industries to operate transnationally and internationally
  • Increase transnational circulation of cultural and creative works and transnational mobility of cultural and creative players

• Enhance inter-cultural dialogue between artists, cultural operators as well as the general public

Funding Information and Duration

• • The total budget for this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 5 000 000.
  • The Agency reserves the right not to distribute all funds available.

• Activities must start between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021.
• The minimum project duration is of 24 months.
• The maximum project duration is of 48 months.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible, a proposal must be submitted by a partnership composed of at least 5 organisations (project leader and partners) from countries participating in the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, as further specified below.

• Applicants (project leader and partners) must be:
  • Organisations or associations, working in the culture and creative industries (excluding audio-visual) or
  • National Councils dealing with the cultural and creative industries (excluding audiovisual) or
  • Public bodies at local, regional or central level involved in the cultural and creative industries (excluding audio-visual)
• Project leader and partners must be established in
  • EU Member States;
  • Western Balkan IPA II Beneficiaries: Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia and Republic of Serbia
• The partnership must satisfy the following minimum requirements:
  • at least 2 organisations (project leader and/or partners) established in at least 2 different Western Balkan IPA II beneficiaries
  • at least 2 organisations of the partnership (project leader and/or partners) established in at least 2 different EU Member States
• The project leader must have had a legal personality for at least 2 years on the date of the deadline for submission of applications and be able to demonstrate its existence as a legal person.
• Natural persons may not apply for a grant.

For more information, visit https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/sites/ipa/funding/coopwb_en