Eurolink News

Cash-strapped arts groups should look to Brussels

July 18, 2011 at 8:40 pm Leave a comment

Cultural organisations including drama, dance and other artistic groups are being encouraged to avail of EU grants worth up to €30,000 before a deadline of September 1st.
The European Cultural Foundation allocates “collaboration grants” averaging at €15,000 to projects by independent groups working together across borders and disciplines. In order to qualify for a grant, the principal applicant must be a cultural group based in any EU country, although partner applicants can work in sectors outside the cultural field, such as local authorities.
Irish MEP Sean Kelly, a member of the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee, has urged cultural groups to grasp the funding opportunity with both hands. “Ireland has a wonderful, thriving cultural heritage and this scheme represents another chance to expand the reach of cross-border projects,” said the Fine Gael MEP.
A statement on the European Cultural Foundation’s website outlines the ideal collaboration as “one that brings a renewed understanding of Europe to people of all backgrounds, and inspires them to regard the world’s future as a shared enterprise”. Projects that are “daring, different and challenge the status quo” are particularly admired, the statement adds. One example of a project that was successful in receiving funding was a Swedish-based event by a group called Lava Dansproduktion, which focused on a new approach to dance through performances and workshops for children. The group worked with partners in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
More information is available on: http://www.eurocult.org/grants/collaboration-grants

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