09/07/2021Žilina Beskydy 2026 team announces an open call for submission of projects. We are interested in project ideas which could become a part of our bid book and possibly part of the Zilina European Capital of Culture 2026 programme. It concerns especially projects which are planned within Beskydy region.
The open call deadline is the 4th of August 2021.
The Open call’s aim is to collect project ideas for the programme structure of the second bid, which is to be submitted on the 2nd of November 2021. The projects should bring innovative content and format with strong European dimension, projects which would strengthen the crossborder cultural cooperation between organisations and individuals.
To whom is the call addressed?
We are looking for artists, cultural managers, or organisations (from city, regional, public or independent sector) interested in development of cooperation within Beskydy region, or Europe. Projects which were already submitted last year through the Open call 2020, or were already included in our first bid are not to be submitted again.
Basic project characteristics
The successful ECoC program is based on cultural projects which reflect local themes in European context with European partners. The realisation of projects is to be in 2024 – 2026 in crossborder Beskydy region in Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic. Successful project in the Open call is not automatically eligible for financial support, but it has a chance to apply for grants in the next stages of the process.
During the candidacy process the projects priorities are the size of the project and the European cooperation. The projects should be new or extensions of already existing ones. They could reflect the past, or be critical to the present, but definitely they should concentrate on the future and improvement of existing situation. Not all projects must have strongly artistic content, but they should include artists in some capacity.
Projects must be implemented at the same time in Zilina or Zilina region, Bielsko Biala or Sliezske Vojvodstvo, Frýdek Místek or Moravsko Sliezsky region, or in different parts of the Euroregion Beskydy. The project could take part in different European regions, but their base is in the Beskydy.
At this stage the dramaturgy, activity descriptions and international cooperation are more important than the budget and production.
Project priorities for Žilina Beskydy 2026
The project themes are to be placed in one of the three program lines of the Žilina Beskydy 2026 candidacy: – Flow of nature (projekty zamerané na témy ako udržateľnosť a environmentálne témy, voda, hory a lesy, turistika a outdoorová kultúra, reinterpretácia tradícií), Future’s factory (produkcia umenia, dizajn a architektúra, eda a umenie, umenie vo verejnom priestore, remeslá priemyselné dedičstvo) and Borderless identity (komunitný rozvoj, médiá a sloboda prejavu, história, doprava, nacionalizmus). You can find out more about the program pillars in our first bid book from December 2020.
Evaluation criteria of the project proposals
The criteria of evaluation are specific to ECoC:
- Quality of the cultural and artistic content
- European dimension
- Outrage and public participation
- Building of audience, cultural and creative sector
- Realisation and capacity to deliver
Timeframe and future steps:
The deadline is 4th of August 2021.
The deadline is followed by the selection phase of the Open Call projects. Final programme and few selected projects would be presented on the Beskydy cultural Forum Beskydy in Žilina on the 9th of September 2021.
After processing the project ideas, our team would contact you by email in order to get more replies or to pass on some recommendations on how to move on with your project idea.
By applying your project idea to the Open Call you agree with the data processing process according to the GDPR. Also you agree with presenting information from your projects to others according to the needs of our candidacy process of Žilina Beskydy 2026 .
Should you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact us: info@zilina2026.eu or +421 918 373 805.
Become a part of the Žilina Beskydy 2026 bid and start the regional cooperation with us!
