Promotion of Diversity in Culture and Arts within European Cultural Heritage

Programme Summary

Why is the Programme needed? The Romanian cultural sector is diverse and offers good potential to provide people with greater access to the full diversity of Romanian culture as well as providing a basis to build up stronger international cultural cooperation between cultural players. Access to culture is important for educational, social and economic reasons. International cooperation is important because of the scope it offers for capacity development within the cultural and creative sectors through exchange of best practices and accelerated learning. The sectors potential in these areas is not yet been fully used. The Programme supports cultural players to make better use of this potential by providing support to them to help them to develop their capacity to work at national and international levels and in doing so it addresses the current fragmentation which limits the international circulation of artists and their works. It opens up possibilities to showcase artistic work which needs greater exposure, for example the art and culture of the various minorities in Romania (for example: the Programme shall pay specific attention to the activities aiming at improving the situation of the Roma population). The Programme supports cultural professionals to reach out to the broader audience with this work. What will the Programme achieve and who are the beneficiaries? The Programme stimulates cultural dialogue and it helps to foster European identity by providing people with access to the full richness of Romanian culture. The Programme enables the development of new educational projects, new music, dance, stage, fine and visual arts’ events and exhibitions. This contributes to the development of new national and international partnerships between cultural professionals and between them and their audience. Their projects and the strengthened bonds with their audiences are important generators for a greater mutual understanding between people. Increased awareness about cultural diversity (for example through funding of projects related to the Roma community) and more focus on international cultural cooperation will be also be achieved by the supported projects. Potential applicants for the open calls for proposals for measure 1, large scale projects in the area of awareness of cultural diversity raised, intercultural dialogue strengthened and cultural history documented (grants between €50,000 and €200,000) are: - Public entities: local, regional and national authorities, cultural institutions, higher education and research institutions - Non-governmental organisations. The following are considered eligible applicants under call for proposals for measure 2, small scale projects in the area of awareness of cultural diversity raised, intercultural dialogue strengthened and cultural history documented (€5,000 and €15,000): - Public entities: cultural institutions, higher education institutions - Non-governmental organisations active in the field of culture - Natural Persons: Creators, artists and experts from the field of culture, students. How will the results be achieved? The supported activities will result in:

• Increased mobility of artists and their work at an international level. It is expected that around 300 artists/cultural professionals will take part in performances, exhibitions, fairs, festivals, know-how exchanges;
• Greater possibilities to showcase cross-cultural developments: at least 5 projects involving the cultures of minorities and around 30 events/productions involving minorities are supported;
• Increased education through art and culture and broadening of audiences: at least 10 educational projects highlighting the diversity of Romanian art and culture are developed;
• Greater access to the cultural history of minorities: at least 5 projects gearing up public access to the cultural history of minorities shall be supported by the Programme;
• Increased number of projects in the area of fine, visual, music and stage arts and bilateral cultural cooperation: at least 20 projects in these areas are supported and 50% of all projects under this Programme aim to be carried out in partnership with cultural players from Iceland, Liechtenstein and/or Norway. 

How will bilateral relations be strengthened? Bilateral relations are supported through a bilateral fund of €120,332 which supports partner search for partnership projects and activities encouraging networking and exchanges and the sharing of knowledge and best practices. The fund focuses on projects that envisage the involvement of partners from Iceland, Liechtenstein and/or Norway.  A fund for complementary action stimulates the exchange of experience and best practices among beneficiary states.What are the partnership opportunities? This Programme stimulates partnerships between Romanian cultural players and their counterparts in Iceland, Liechtenstein and/or Norway. The bilateral fund will also specifically focus on stimulating the development of partnership projects.  The Arts Council Norway (ACN) is involved in the Programme as a Donor Programme Partner. Donor State entities will be eligible for grant assistance as project partners.