Cultural diversity and Cultural exchange

Programme Summary

Why is the programme needed? Promoting cultural diversity is essential in order to strengthen mutual understanding in Europe and to contribute to greater social inclusion, cohesion and economic development (growth and jobs) as set out in the Europe 2020 Strategy. The Programme will contribute to greater mutual understanding through international cooperation resulting in projects that will showcase the diversity of European culture. The Programme’s budget of €400,000 helps strengthen bilateral relations between Spain and the Donor States by focusing on cultural exchange between cultural players in these countries. What will the programme achieve? The Programme will offer support to a sector currently facing exceptional challenges in a country badly hit by the current economic crisis. The Programme aims to spur international cooperation (for example through exchanges of best practices and knowledge-sharing which are essential for accelerated learning), gearing up access to culture and promoting cultural diversity. How will it be achieved? The support will result in:

• Partnership projects between Spanish and Donor States’ cultural organisations working in contemporary art and culture;
• Increased mobility of artists/cultural workers in the area of contemporary art and culture from Spain and the Donor States;
• A workshop before the launch of the open calls under this Programme provided scope for an exchange of experiences and ideas on bilateral cooperation between Spanish and Donor State organisations; it aimed at helping cultural players from Spain to find project partners in Donor States and vice versa.

How will bilateral relations be strengthened? The Programme supports the sector to help it to address some of the challenges it is facing in building up transnational cooperation and exchange in this area and also in gearing up peoples’ awareness about culture and art and their access to it. A focus is put on bilateral cooperation in this respect and the support may be expected to result in more bilateral contacts, exchanges of best practices and projects. The workshop in Madrid before the lauch of the open calls offered a platform for partner search and also for the strengthening of already existing bilateral contacts. What are the partnership opportunities? Project Promoters are encouraged to cooperate with a partner from one of the Donor States. For international cultural cooperation projects in the area of contemporary art and culture there is an open call providing a maximum grant of €60,000 per project. Mobility grants are provided through an open call with maximum grants of €7,000. Who can apply for funding under this programme? For support to institutions for cultural cooperation projects eligible applicants are: public and private organizations (such as theatres, museums, professional associations, research centres, universities, institution etc.), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), inter-governmental organisations operating in Spain (all entities must be established as a legal person in Spain). For support to individuals for cultural mobility eligible applicants are: natural persons who are legal residents in Spain or natural persons who are legal residents in one of the Donor States.