Promotion of Diversity in Culture and Arts within European Cultural Heritage

Programme Summary

Why is the programme needed? Lithuania’s cultural players face fierce challenges when wishing to work on an international scale, develop partnerships with institutions from other countries, and foster intercultural dialogue. First of all, these cultural players have limited access to EU funding, because they do not yet have the necessary ‘scale’ to access this funding. Secondly, there is a pressing need for these players to develop their competences to work on an international level. Thirdly, there is a lack of exchange of cultural activities between cities and regions in Lithuania, as well as a need for cultural players from regions to be involved in international cultural cooperation. Fourthly, there is a need to stimulate audience development by gearing up people’s access to culture and their involvement with it. What will the programme achieve? By supporting activities in this area, the programme contributes to economic development, creation of new jobs, increased social inclusion, and spurring a greater awareness about the importance of good heritage care. In this regard the programme ties in with the Europe 2020 Strategy and the aims set out by the European Commission for the EU Creative Europe 2014-2020 programme. How will it be achieved? The programme will: • Stimulate professional cooperation projects facilitating mobility and intercultural dialogue, promote cross-border and bilateral cultural cooperation, and stimulate capacity development in this area by the exchange of knowledge and best practices between cultural players in Lithuania and the donor states. It will stimulate international co-production and promote international co-operation; • Ensure access to cultural heritage, culture and arts, for example through arts and culture related educational activities. At least 14 newly created artistic products will be presented to audiences in the regions of Lithuania. How will bilateral relations be strengthened? The programme has a strong focus on strengthening bilateral relations, for example by providing support for partner search for donor partnership projects prior to the preparation of a project application and through support for networking, exchange, sharing and transfer of knowledge, technology, experience and best practices. The Arts Council Norway is the Donor Programme Partner (DPP). What are the partnership opportunities? There is support for partner search activities and for the development of partner projects. Bilateral cooperation and exchanges will gear-up the exchange of knowledge and best practices between cultural players in the donor and beneficiary states in this area and in doing so it will contribute to accelerated learning. Who can apply for funding under this programme? Eligible applicants are all Lithuanian entities operating in the cultural sector. Partners must be entities operating in the cultural sector from Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.