EU National Institutes for Culture - EUNIC


European Spaces of Culture Call for Ideas: apply by 13 June 2021

The Call for Ideas aims to find new innovative ideas for collaboration models between EUNIC members, EU Delegations and local partners in countries outside the EU. Project ideas can be submitted until 13 June 2021. The Call has a total envelope of EUR 500,000, project teams can apply for up to EUR 60,000, to be spent in different steps.

The Preparatory Action European Spaces of Culture and its pilot projects aim to seek new ways of collaboration in cultural relations, following a number of guiding principles, which reflect the EU strategy for international cultural relations and the EUNIC Strategic Framework 2020-2024:

  • Encourage people-to-people contacts through a bottom-up approach, based on local consultation and co-creation;
  • Go beyond projection of the diversity of European cultures;
  • Focus on the process as well as on outputs and outcomes: a new spirit of dialogue, mutual listening and learning, where partners are on equal footing and engage in a joint capacity building process.

Call for Ideas

The Call requires proposals to be co-created by local stakeholders (e.g. civil society organisations, local cultural actors, etc.), EUNIC members and EU Delegations, in a spirit of mutuality, reciprocity and people-to-people contacts outlined in the EU strategy for international cultural relations and the EUNIC Strategic Framework 2020-2024. Applicants are encouraged to investigate transnational and transregional projects.

The Call has an envelope of EUR 500,000, with an additional Mobility grant scheme of EUR 14,000.

Project teams are invited to apply with a cultural relations project idea outside of the EU until 13 June 2021. Project teams can apply for up to 60,000 euros for the entire project, to be spent in different steps. Submitted proposals need to involve a minimum of three full EUNIC members, the EU Delegation and at least three key local cultural partners.

Timeline

Step 1
13 January 2021: Launch of Call
13 January 2021: Opening of Mobility scheme
13 May 2021: Deadline for Mobility scheme
13 June 2021: Deadline for submission of ideas

Step 2
June/July 2021: Selection of best ideas
July 2021: Inception meeting with selected ideas
Aug – Nov 2021: Project refinement for selected ideas
September 2021: Creative Lab for selected ideas
4 November 2021: Deadline for submission of project proposals

Step 3
November 2021: Selection of pilot projects
December 2021: Inception meeting with selected project teams
Jan – Oct 2022: Implementation of pilot projects
Jan – Oct 2022: Creative Lab with project teams
Oct – Nov 2022: Reporting period

How to apply?

The following documents need to be submitted:

  • Application form completed in English
  • Estimated balanced budget completed in English and drawn up in EUR
  • Support letters from all identified project partners
  • In order to apply for the Mobility grant scheme, a separate application form is provided

Find the European Spaces of Culture Call for Ideas 2021 and all application documents in the EUNIC Google Drive.

EUNIC support

Do not hesitate to contact the Spaces team at EUNIC if you have any questions about the call or the application process at:

or join the Open Spaces free consultation room every Thursday at 5-6 pm CET and Friday at 10-11 am CET. Once in, follow the instructions on screen.

Also consult the European Spaces of Culture Frequently Asked Questions.

Read more about European Spaces of Culture and the currently running pilot projects on the new dedicated website.



  • European Spaces of Culture
  • Cultural relations
  • EUNIC

Co-funded by the European Union Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.