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Background
Culture is a relatively new sphere of action for the European Union, at least from a legal standpoint: the legal basis for EU action in this field was only introduced in 1992 with the Maastricht Treaty. This action is aimed at encouraging and supporting co-operation within Europe in order to bring the European common cultural heritage to the fore. The European Commission encourages culture in two ways: - through policies, chiefly cultural policy, and by mainstreaming the cultural dimension in other areas of EU interest such as for instance in competition or industrial policy; - and through financial support, primarily via the Culture (2007-2013) Programme, but also via other actions such as for example within the framework of regional policy. Objectives of the Culture Programme The general objective is to enhance the cultural area shared by Europeans, which is based on a common cultural heritage, through the development of cooperation activities among cultural operators from eligible countries, with a view to encouraging the emergence of European citizenship. The specific objectives of the Programme are: - promotion of the transnational mobility of people working in the cultural sector; - support for the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic works and products; - promotion of intercultural dialogue. Timeframe: 1 January 2007 - 31 December 2013. Budget: 400 million Euros. Strands of the Programme Strand 1: Support for Cultural Projects Cultural organisations are given support for projects to work together across borders and to create and implement cultural and artistic activities. The aim of this strand is to help organisations, such as theatres, museums, professional associations, research centres, universities, cultural institutes and public authorities from different countries participating in the Programme to co-operate so that different sectors can work together and extend their cultural and artistic reach across borders. This strand is divided into four categories, which are detailed below. Strand 1.1: Multi-annual Co-operation Projects (lasting from three to five years) The first category seeks to foster multi-annual, trans-national cultural links by encouraging a minimum of six cultural operators from at least six eligible countries to cooperate and work within and across sectors to develop joint cultural activities over a period of three to five years. Funds of between a minimum of EUR 200.000 and a maximum of EUR 500.000 per year are available, but EU support is limited to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible cost. The funding is intended to help set up or extend the geographical reach of a project and make it sustainable beyond the funding period. Strand 1.2.1: Co-operation Projects (lasting up to twenty four months) The second category concerns actions shared by at least three cultural operators, working within and across sectors, from at least three eligible countries over a maximum period of two years. Actions that explore means of long-term co-operation are especially targeted. Funds of between EUR 50.000 and EUR 200.000 are available, but EU support is limited to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible cost. Strand 1.2.2: Literary Translation Projects (lasting up to twenty four months) EU support for Literary Translation projects is aimed at enhancing knowledge of the literature and literary heritage of fellow Europeans by way of promoting the circulation of literary works between countries. Publishing houses can be awarded grants for translations and publication of works of fiction from one European language into another European language. Funds of between EUR 2.000 and EUR 60.000 are available, but EU support is limited to a maximum of 50% of the total eligible cost. Strand 1.3: Co-operation Projects with Third Countries (lasting up to twenty four months) The fourth category seeks to support cultural cooperation projects aimed at cultural exchanges between the countries taking part in the Programme and third countries, which have concluded association or cooperation agreements with the EU, provided that the latter contain cultural clauses. The co-operation projects involve at least three cultural operators, from at least three eligible countries and cultural cooperation with at least one organisation from the selected third country and/or involve cultural activities carried out in the selected third country. Funds of between EUR 50.000 and maximum EUR 200.000 are available, but EU support is limited to maximum 50% of the total eligible cost. Every year one or more third country(ies) is/are selected for that particular year. The country(ies) is/are indicated each year on the website of the Executive Agency at the latest 4 months before the deadline for submission indicated in the fixed Programme Calendar (available in the Programme Guide). Strand 2: Support for Organisations Active at European Level in the Field of Culture Apart from direct support for cooperation projects, the Programme gives grants to cultural organisations working, or wanting to work, at European level in the field of culture for their operating costs. The grant awarded under this strand is a support to operating costs incurred for the permanent activities of beneficiary organisations. Four categories of organisations are eligible under this strand: - Ambassadors; - Advocacy networks; - Festivals; - Policy support structures for the Culture Agenda, further divided into two subcategories: structured dialogue platforms and policy analysis groupings. Funds of maximum between EUR 100.000 and EUR 600.000 are available, depending on the category applied for, but EU support is limited to maximum 80% of the total eligible costs. Strand 3: Support for Analyses and for the Collection and Dissemination of Information and for Maximising the Impact of Projects in the Field of Cultural Co-operation Support is available for analysis and dissemination activities that help collect and research results in response to the need for strong quantitative evidence in the cultural sector and evaluate them in the light of the objectives of the Programme. The Programme also supports the collection and dissemination of information and activities aimed at maximising the impact of projects. It promotes the exchange of experience and good practice and the dissemination of information concerning the Programme as well as trans-European cultural co-operation in the broad sense. Participating Countries - the EU Member States; - the EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway); - Countries candidate to EU membership (Croatia, Turkey and Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia) plus Serbia. The countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro) could become eligible in the future, subject to the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the participation of each of those countries in the Programme. Eligible Actions and Applicants The Programme supports projects, organisations, promotional activities and research in all branches of culture, except the audiovisual branch for which there is a separate programme named MEDIA. Cultural operators, including cultural enterprises, can participate in the Programme as long as they are acting in a non-profit-making cultural capacity. Eligible applicants must be a public or private organisation with legal personality, whose principal activity is in the cultural sphere (cultural and creative sectors) and must have their registered legal seat in one of the eligible countries.
Individual persons are not eligible to apply for a grant under this Programme.
Management of the Programme The European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture (DGEAC) is responsible for the Programme and directly manages some of its activities, while most of them are implemented by delegation through the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), which operates under its control. Cultural Contact Points The Cultural Contact Points provide, at national level, information and guidance to those interested in applying under this Programme. More information about the Programme can be found at:
as well as in the Programme Guide:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/culture/guide/documents/culture_programme_guide_en.pdf.
Information and assistance can also be provided by the Cultural Contact Point of Romania for the Culture 2007-2013 Programme (functions inside the Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes) Tel/fax: +40 213166060; +40 213166061;
e-mail: info_c2k@eurocult.ro;
Website: www.cultura2007.ro
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