Call for Applications

'PROGRAM THROUGH PARTNERSHIP' PILOT MOBILITY PROGRAM FOR ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN AND MONGOLIA

Arts and Culture Network Program
Open Society Institute Budapest

AIMS

The Arts and Culture Network Program aims to promote collaborative artistic and/or cultural efforts/initiatives, involving at least three of the above-mentioned target countries. The 'Program through Partnership' offers support to individuals and organisations in order to foster cross-border partnership and cooperation and to contribute to intercultural dialogue and understanding. The Program seeks innovative ideas, projects and partnerships, which further free expression, exchanges, and dialogues. The Arts and Culture Network Program has devised its 'Program through Partnership' because productive and fruitful collaborations across borders generally facilitate communication.

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GUIDELINES

The Arts and Culture Network Program welcomes applications for artistically and/or culturally oriented initiatives, which involve the mobility of artists and cultural operators in between at least three of the target countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia. However, partners from Russia, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan are also welcome to be involved in the proposed initiatives, and they will receive the same consideration as the above-mentioned target countries. Within the framework of the 'Program through Partnership' the Arts and Culture Network Program intends to cover the mobility features of the proposed initiatives, including travel and accommodation expenses and a modest per diem. The Program does not support travel within a single country.

The Arts and Culture Program encourages applications primarily from individuals or grassroots organisations, but also from the public sector if they are innovative and interdisciplinary. The initiatives should be creative, and should go beyond simple presentations, gatherings and exchanges. The Program centres on proposals, which contribute to development of civil society, creation of open societies, and promotion of peaceful coexistence, and not necessarily on proposals, which emphasise art for art's sake or culture for culture's sake.

The 'Program through Partnership' encourages applications from any artistic medium or cultural sector, as its focus is not on the particular artistic form but on the underlying message, the means of transmission, and the target audience.

The Arts and Culture Network Program favours projects, which contribute to long-term partnership, and which are not centred exclusively on one specific event. Projects should carry the potential for continued development, and the applications should specify the ramifications of their proposals.

The Arts and Culture Network Program gives priority to long-term initiatives with clear goals and a realistic potential to contribute to development. The 'Program through Partnership' shall support initiatives aimed at empowering disadvantaged and marginalized social groups; promoting the values of multiculturalism and cultural diversity; making information and resources more accessible and available both to professionals and the public; and implementing educational approaches to increase public awareness and participation in order to strengthen the foundations of cooperative action.

ELIGIBILITY

• The competition is open to individuals as well as organisations from the target countries.
• Former grantees of the Arts and Culture Network Program may also apply.
• Project implementation should start in 2006 but may finish in 2007.
• The maximum amount of requested funding is limited to 10.000 USD.
• Applications should be written preferably in English but Russian applications will also be accepted if sent along with a one page English summary. Please send the applications via e-mail to the national Arts and Culture Coordinator; - Jahangir Selimkhanov jselimkhanov@osi-az.org
• Please use our application template in describing your project.
• The deadline for application is the 24th of March 2006 (Sunday).    Application Form

Note

The applications will be reviewed and evaluated first on the national level, and then by the Arts and Culture Sub-Board. The results of the competition will be announced by 15th May 2006. All applicants will be notified individually.