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Status of the first call for proposals: The Value of Culture in the Southern Mediterranean

Interarts, which coordinates SouthMed CV, announces the assessment results of the first call.

The phase of selecting the admitted projects to be awarded begins now. For more information regarding your submitted application status: Not Eligible, Not Selected, Admitted.

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Mohamed Ben Soltane
B’chira Art Centre – Tunisia

Mohamed Ben Soltane is a visual artist and curator exhibiting his work in Tunisia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Algeria, among other countries.
He graduated in 2004 from Higher Institute of Fine Arts of Tunis. He obtained his PhD in 2015 after a research on the recognition of contemporary artists from Africa in West Europe and United States. He is the project manager of SouthMed CV at BAC, Tunisia.

https://www.facebook.com/medbensolt

Houssem Bel Hadj
German Commission for UNESCO Germany

Senior Consultant in Project Management, Networking and development policies, supporting the German Commission for UNESCO in the framework of the SouthMed CV project. He holds a Master of Business Administration with a focus on International Management from the International University of Marketing in San Francisco and a Certificate in Marketing from the University of California Berkeley.

Toni Cots
Interarts – Spain

General Manager of the SouthMed CV project and its consortium at Interarts, Barcelona Spain.
Researcher, teacher, actor and director of Performing Arts as well as cultural operator working and touring internationally. Director of several international arts festivals, artistic coordinator and manager of international performing arts programmes and cultural cooperation regarding exile and refugee issues in Spain, Denmark, Holland and Venezuela. Since 1997, is an Editorial Board member of ‘Performance Research’, Routledge. Between 2007 and 2010, cofounded and directed the MA in Contemporary Arts Practice & Dissemination in collaboration with several High Education Institutions and Cultural Organisations from Spain, UK, Holland and Slovenia. Since 2011, is a cofounder member of CRA’P – Arts practices and research (http://www.cra-p.org/).
He holds a BA in Performing Arts at the Theatre Institute of Barcelona.

Karim Dakroub
Khayal Association for Arts and EducationLebanon

Karim Dakroub is the founder and director of The Lebanese Puppet Theatre and the Mediterranean Puppet Festival in Beirut and the chairman of Khayal Association for Arts and Education. He is a theatre professor at the Lebanese University – Institute of Fine Arts and a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and psychosocial consultant.
He designed, organised and managed many cultural, artistic and psychosocial projects.
He graduated in 1993 from Saint Petersburg State Theatre Academy and later from Kaslik University and the Lebanese University.

Sameh El Halwany
Gudran for Art and Development – Egypt

Sameh El Halwany is a visual artist interested in community development through art.
He has his own strategy of discovering and artistically recycling neglected spaces in several Arab cities, aiming to link audience to art and artists as well as achieve artistic development of these spaces and communities that lack cultural and artistic spaces for practices that would develop their culture and economic conditions. In 2000, he cofounded Gudran Association for Art and Development and he is currently the General Manager. He won several prizes for artistic projects that helped positive social transformation.

Rania Kamhawi
National Centre for Culture and Arts – Jordan

Deputy Director at the National Centre for Culture and Arts of King Hussein Foundation since 1997. Director of the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival, an annual regional festival founded in 2006 Network, encompassing Lebanon; Palestine, Syria and Jordan. Director of NCCA Dance Department.
Ms. Kamhawi holds a degree in teaching from the Royal Academy of Dance and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance in the UK with Distinction. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship as a Scholar in Residence at the University of South Dakota in 1998 with a focus on Culture of the Muslim World; invited as International Choreographer at the 60th anniversary of the Ballet de Havana in Cuba in 2008 and the American Dance Festival, held at Duke University in 1993. She has choreographed many works from the classical repertoire in addition to various original productions.

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News

The first call launched by SouthMed CV in August to finance cultural and artistic projects in the southern Mediterranean reached its closing date on 2 November. Now begins the phase of assessment and selection of the received initiatives.
In total, 154 proposals were submitted from the eligible countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. Many of the projects seeking funding share an interest in social, educational and community themes, being training, cooperation and networking activities its common denominator.
Interarts, which coordinates SouthMed CV, will soon announce the results of the call through its website and the social media channels.

Toni Artissimo
News

SouthMed CV project coordinator Toni Cots was in Algeria, one of the beneficiary countries of this initiative, to present the project´s mission and objectives to cultural operators. Particularly, details of the current call for funding of cultural and artistic projects that help in strengthening the role of culture at local, national and regional levels or enhancing institutional capabilities and management of cultural operators and arts organisations.

The presentations were held from 10th-15th September in collaboration with many local organisations such as the art school Artissimo in Algiers, the Institute ISSAF in Constantine and the Association Bel Horizon in Oran.

To apply for funding, cultural organisations from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia can submit applications before 2 November 2015. SouthMed CV is co-funded by the European Union under the regional programme Med Culture.

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Following the order of all guideline sections, below are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) by applicants of the First Call.

ELIGIBILITY

The main applicant must be legally registered as a non-profit cultural association from the following countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan.

The partners can include profit organisations, institutions or other associations coming from different sectors, not exclusively from the cultural sector, registered or operating in the Southern Mediterranean.

According to the guidelines, the main applicant must be a non-profit organisation. However, you can apply as the first partner while collaborating on the project with a main applicant that fits the criteria. When doing so, please remember that:

  • Main applicants must be non-profit organisations legally registered in the eligible countries and active in the cultural sector in the Southern Mediterranean region.
  • Main applicants must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project proposal with their partners, not acting as an intermediary.

No. This grant is solely intended to involve at least two partners: one of the partners shall act as main applicant and the others as associated local or international partners. Individuals can only apply within the framework of a collaboration with a cultural association.

Most importantly, the main applicant must be legally registered in one of the eligible countries as a non-profit cultural association.

The participation of non-registered organisations as partners, with the exclusion of the main applicant, may be accepted in duly justified cases and insofar their existence can be proven (e.g. cultural and artistic groups or platforms of professionals which have carried out activities).

The project should take place between February 1st 2017 and January 31st 2018. As for the duration, it should be a minimum of 9 months and a maximum of 12 months.

“Lot 1” deals with the following activities:

Area of Action Partner involved
Artistic and cultural projects implemented in the framework of local, national or regional educational programmes Cultural organisations and educational institutions
Artistic and cultural projects fostering citizen participation and/or addressing issues of public interest including awareness-raising activities Profit organisations, institutions or other associations coming from different sectors
Contemporary artworks contributing to different ways of approaching the local environment and its context, and open to citizen participation Profit organisations, institutions or other associations coming from different sectors
Other forms of collaboration with other stakeholders offering an innovative approach (e.g. research, methodology, etc.) and a strong potential for social development (e.g. target groups, advocacy, etc.) Cultural actors and other public or private organisations active in the public space

“Lot 2” deals with the following activities:

Area of Action Sectors
Set-up, improvement or dissemination of emerging and/or consolidated professional organizations Cultural and artistic sectors
Training of specialized trainers, facilitators, network-brokers or planners Cultural sector
Awareness-raising activities on the role of culture including public discussions, seminars, workshops and conferences Local, national or regional cultural development
Strengthening creative industry platforms or resource centres (e.g. training schemes, incubators, etc.) Social and economic sectors
Design and implementation of new funding models (e.g. crowd-funding platforms, etc.) Cultural and creative sectors involving public or private funding bodies

Yes, it is possible. Though, invited professionals should match the objectives, target groups and expected achievements described in the submitted project.

However, it is a recommendation to include other professionals and specialists related to other sectors: economy, creative industries, communication and media, etc. from your own country or other countries both in the Southern Mediterranean and in the EU.

Following the guidelines is the difference between eligibility and immediate disqualification. It also makes it easier for the panel of experts when it is time to assess all applications submitted.

If you are applying for Lot 1 and Lot 2, it is not necessary that you have partners in another eligible country from the Southern Mediterranean, even though it is always seen as a valuable advantage in terms of networking, yet it would not reduce the chances at obtaining the grant.

If you are applying for Lot 3, the project should include at least 4 partners (one main applicant and 3 partners), from 3 different eligible countries in the Southern Mediterranean.

In order for the application to be eligible, the main applicant has to be a registered non profit cultural organization. But if you can provide us with a document that shows that you started the registration process (you can submit this document with the application), you can submit your application and it will be taken into consideration and evaluated, but keep in mind, that in December the final beneficiaries will be announced, and if by that time the registration is not complete, the project cannot be granted.

Unfortunately, no exceptions to the rule can be made. The SouthMed CV beneficiary countries are Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia; consequently, applications to the SoutMed CV call(s) for funding can be submitted only by organisations duly registered in one of the mentioned countries.

Yes, and it is very important to follow this requirement. Remember that all applications must dedicate:

  • 10% of the project’s budget for mobility and networking activities;
  • 5% for capacity building activities such as: participation in training and peer-to-peer activities organised by the SouthMed CV consortium;
  • 5% of the total budget for external audits. However, the costs cannot be less than 1000€.

It is possible as long as it is done on another project application and alternating the organisation´s roles.

However, we would discourage this without exploring other potential partners that add value to the partnership. It is the aim of SouthMed CV to develop networks across countries especially in the Southern Mediterranean.

In the case of SouthMed CV, a project is considered a cultural work that can be implemented and communicated on a long term basis while having an impact on one or several spheres in the public space: cultural, health, social, educational, etc.

The main applicants for grants and their partners should be registered in one of the eligible countries in the Southern Mediterranean (Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon). Since your organization is registered in Europe, you cannot be main applicants or partners.

Your organization on the other hand, can be a collaborator in the project, as experts providing methodology. In that case, the collaboration should be mentioned in the application but your organisation cannot be a partner.

Unfortunately, because of the conflict in Libya and the difficulties, it is not among the eligible countries for the call for project, The main applicant for the grant should be a cultural nonprofit organization that is registered in one of the following countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. If you work with an organization that is registered in one of these countries, you can apply for a grant.

Please refer to the guidelines. To be eligible the main applicant and the partners should be organisations legally registered in one of the eligible countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon). Application for Lot 1 and Lot 2 should contain at least 3 partners (including the main applicant) that could be from one or more eligible countries. Applications for Lot 3 should have at least 4 partners (including the main applicant) from 3 different eligible countries. The grants can go up to 30000 euros for Lot 1, 45000 euros for Lot 2 and 60000 euros for Lot 3.

Yes it is possible that your project receives funds, if it is selected for a grant after the evaluation. We recommend you read the guidelines carefully, keep in mind that the main applicant (that will lead the project) must be a registered nonprofit organization (registered in one of the 7 eligible countries). And the main applicant should have at least 2 other partners.

No. The partners should be legally registered in one of the 7 eligible countries from the Southern Mediterranean: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon.

The municipality itself cannot be the main applicant, but if there is a nonprofit organization that usually works closely with the municipality, this organization can apply as main applicant, and the municipality can be a partner in the project.

The partners for the project should be from one of the 7 eligible countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. However, people from European associations can participate as experts, there can be collaboration with European associations or organizations, but they cannot be official partners, nor can they benefit from the grant.

In this case it´s enough to have 4 associations from the Arabian countries (if they are from the eligible countries).

We recognize and understand the difficulties in Egypt around that subject, regarding legal issues and registration of non-profit organizations, but unfortunately there are some criteria that we cannot overlook.
We suggest that you find a partner that is a non-profit organization, from any of the eligible countries that can apply as the main applicant, with your company being the first partner.
You can have a written agreement between the two organizations, that states that you both will be responsible for leading and managing the project proposed, you can also mention in the written agreement who receives the grant from SouthMed CV (this document will be presented with your application form). In that case, SouthMed CV can accept the application for project proposal.

No, as main applicant, you can submit only one application. However, you can be a partner in another submitted application.

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Any fees for trainers, for awareness-raising activities or for external experts attending peer to peer assessments involving the sub-granted projects should be stated under “Human Resources” in the budget sheet provided for download on the application form.

In the case of travel and subsistence expenses, for attending awareness-raising activities or peer to peer assessments involving the sub-granted projects please refer to Part 2 of the budget sheet provided for download on the application form.

For travel and subsistence expenses related to trainers and external experts please refer to Part 2 of the budget sheet provided for download on the application form.

The 10% is for expenses related to networking activities only amongst the main applicant organisation and its partners and/or with other organisations and networks.

The SouthMed CV project intends to enhance networking and mobility throughout the Southern Mediterranean region.

The 5% is for travel subsistence expenses for members of the granted projects to participate in awareness raising sessions (conferences, seminars, etc.), training courses or other capacity building activities, as well as peer to peer meetings and assessment amongst members of granted projects.

These activities are to be arranged by the SouthMed CV consortium during the implementation of the granted projects, between March and May 2017 in the eligible countries that are part of the first Call.

Equipment might be funded depending on the content of each project. However, we recommend looking for rentals or leasing instead of purchasing materials. In case of equipment purchase, then these materials should be made available to other associations/projects and never for private use only.

The evaluation committee will ultimately assess the necessity for the project to purchase or otherwise rent the materials.

Please refer to part 2.1 of the Guidelines page.

You can work with European organisations and implement a network with them as well as pay fees for European experts to be part of your activities.  However, you should be very specific about how the main activities of your project will benefit target groups and stakeholders in the seven eligible countries that are part of this Call.

Renovation costs can be eligible if essential to the project, BUT the project cannot consist only of structural costs, the project should consist of cultural/artistic activities, and the structural costs should be only a support to these activities

Costs connected to activities of capacity building (workshops, training) in the EU countries are eligible, and travel subsistence costs of European experts to the south Mediterranean countries are also eligible costs. Please do mention in the application form what kind of activities would take place in the EU and what kind of activities would the EU experts participate in.

This means two representatives of the submitted project (one form the main applicant organisation, and one from one of the project partners in the region), should be able to attend the meeting organised by SouthMed CV consortium between March and May 2017, not yet possible to tell exact dates and location.

On the other hand, you should specify on the submitted Budget annexed to your proposal (see Budget template) which items are part of Networking, capacity building and mobility as requested on the Guidelines.

CONTRACT AND MODALITIES OF PAYMENT

Please refer to section 4: Contract and modalities of payment in the Guidelines.

The proposed project must have clear starting and finishing dates for the activities funded by Southmed CV, in order to have a precise report. But the project can be continued with other funding sources, when the activities financed by SouthMed CV are completed.

REPORTING

Please refer to section 5: Reporting in the Guidelines.

After a contract is signed with the granted projects, The Contracting Party will inform all granted projects´ main applicant organisations about the external audit procedures.

It is recommendable that the external audit is carried out throughout the implementation of the project, and he/she must certify the final technical and financial report of the granted project.

PUBLICITY

Grant beneficiaries must acknowledge the EU contribution throughout the project implementation. (Please refer to section 6: Publicity in the Guidelines)

Grant beneficiaries shall contact and update all along the project implementation the EU delegations of their countries.

Guidelines for the visual identity to the SouthMed CV grant will be provided to beneficiaries in the contract agreement.

OTHER QUESTIONS: APPLICATION FORM QUESTIONS

The application form can be found on the website under: Apply – Second Call – Application form.

http://www.smedcv.net/application-form/

This is an official document that proves that the organisation legally exists. It is of utmost importance when filling out the application form that this document is uploaded. The document could be the register(s) of companies, official gazette, VAT registration, etc., in one of the eligible countries.

It is convenient that the person be a part of the organisation. In case the person is external, then applicants should provide a document that certifies on behalf of the organisation carrying out the project that he/she is responsible for it.

You can provide the entire necessary information in the Project Description field; including links to their websites, blogs, etc.

After filling out the compulsory fields, you may upload any additional supporting material in the indicated parts.

Yes. The Board of Trustees members can be your references in the application.

No. Previous projects can include those financed by grants or other means.

It is obligatory to complete both. Not doing so will result in immediate disqualification.

Firstly, fill out the Budget Breakdown table stating each item and its cost. Next, download the Budget (by clicking on the link) and after completing all the required fields you can proceed to upload it.   

The supporting material is only obligatory for Lot 3 applicants, but it is recommended that if you have any material to support your application, to upload it.

No, the application can only be filled in English, the official language of SouthMed CV.

LANGUAGE

Due to the fact that there’s a consortium developing SouthMed CV and being that the project is EUfunded, we have an obligation to communicate in English (the official language of the project). Moreover, the commission of experts that are going to handle the projects are from different countries.

The project website will not be available in French at the time being.

OTHER

Currently the project is being organised for all purposes explained on the website. You can always write us with your information which we keep for future references.

Although having a final production is encouraged, there is no problem if the residency program doesn’t include one.

Regarding this Call, Palestine and Israel are considered to be two different countries, the eligible countries are: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. Israel is not an eligible country Beneficiary of this grant.

Download the FAQs as a single pdf file (0,39 MB).

News

Dans le cadre plus général de la mobilité internationale des artistes et des opérateurs culturels, le Fonds Roberto Cimetta propose une ligne de financement intitulée « Fonds de soutien à la structuration », destinée à renforcer des initiatives d’artistes ou d’opérateurs culturels arabes à l’origine de projets de territoire (lieux, réseaux, plates-formes). L’effet de levier ainsi espéré vise à contribuer au rééquilibrage des forces entre dynamiques arabes et dynamiques européennes et structurer et pérenniser les échanges culturels entre pays arabes. Les bourses octroyées seront limitées à 3 000€ maximum, et pourront, le cas échéant, être intégrées en tant que cofinancements. Ce fonds est destiné à des artistes et opérateurs culturels basés dans le monde arabe. A travers ses experts et son Conseil d’Administration, le Fonds Roberto Cimetta effectuera un monitoring des projets sélectionnés.

Cet appel à candidatures est lancé à partir du 1er août 2015 pour une durée de deux mois jusqu’au 30 septembre 2015. Le processus d’évaluation et de sélection aura lieu au cours des mois d’octobre et novembre 2015. Les résultats seront annoncés le 1er décembre 2015. Quatre projets seront sélectionnés au minimum. Les fonds attribués devront être utilisés dans un délai maximum de deux ans, sauf dérogation.

Un Comité de Pilotage évaluera cette deuxième session expérimentale du dispositif et décidera de sa reconduction ou de sa réorientation.

Le Fonds Roberto Cimetta et le Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication français souhaitent ainsi amplifier et développer le bénéfice de la bourse à la mobilité et renforcer l’autonomie financière des initiatives culturelles locales indépendantes.

Les candidatures peuvent être soumises en arabe, en anglais ou en français.

La demande en ligne est possible à partir du 1er août 2015 en cliquant ici ou en visitant le site du FRC www.cimettafund.org

Activities

A final publication highlighting the results and the key issues related to the implementation of the whole action in the Southern Mediterranean region will be made available online. Amongst other issues will present a selection of documents written by the sub-grantees, the networking strategies, the synergies between the cultural sector and other sectors, etc. The publication will be produced in English, French and Arabic.

Activities

The main aim is to strengthen regional exchanges during the implementation of the sub-granted projects by identifying potential synergies with other relevant initiatives. Encounters and other activities have been arranged by SouthMed CV, in collaboration with stakeholders in the Southern Mediterranean region, to enable the sub-granted organisations to meet throughout 2016 and 2017.

The activities organised in the context of SouthMed CV:

  • 4 – 8 of April 2016. Mobility & Capacity Building encounter in Tunisia, hosted by BAC Art Centre, with representatives of the sub-granted projects of the 1st call from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
    See the programme
  • 18 – 21 of April 2016. Mobility & Capacity Building encounter in Lebanon, hosted by Khayal Arts & Education, with representatives of the sub-granted projects of the 1st call from Lebanon and Palestine.
    See the programme
  • 27 March – 1 April 2017. Mobility & Capacity Building encounter in Tunisia, hosted by BAC Art Centre, with representatives of the sub-granted projects of the 2nd call from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
    See the programme
  • 1 – 2 December 2017. Mobility & Networking encounter in Jordan, hosted by the National Centre for Culture and Arts of King Hussein Foundation (NCCA), with representatives of the sub-granted projects of the 1st and 2nd calls from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
    See the programme
  • 3 – 4 December 2017. Regional conference “The Value of Culture in the Southern Mediterranean”, held under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein, at the Royal Cultural Centre in Amman, Jordan.
    See the programme
Activities

In this section any information on the conferences that take place during the implementation of the project will be regularly updated. On the other hand, two final events will be organised in 2018, one in Europe and one in the Euro-Mediterranean region, preferably in a Southern Mediterranean country. The agenda will combine the presentation of activities linking culture with other areas of development and the impact of culture at local, national and regional levels with analysis on the implications for regional development strategies produced by the SouthMed CV implementation. Speakers will include representatives of sub-granted projects and organisations, experts from the Mediterranean region, representatives of the SouthMed CV consortium, relevant institutions and the European Commission.

Activities

Networking Strategy

SouthMed CV Expected results in relation to the networking strategy:

  • Enhance technical skills for cultural actors
  • Foster local, regional, national and international networking

What for?

  • Bring culture from the margins to the center of the public sphere
  • Explore its potential connection with economic, social and political development

How?

  • Local, national and regional exchanges and networking strategies
  • Identification of learning opportunities among selected projects and their partners

South Med CV Networking Strategy (version 3.0., as of February 2017)

The special potential of this action lies in the option of identifying and developing local, national and regional networking opportunities of the sub-grantees of the 1st and 2nd call, having built a networking culture among the SouthMed CV consortium as a starting point in 2015.

The first implementation cycle became reality in spring 2016, and continued evolving throughout the project’s implementation period. The dimension of networking has nourished the peer to peer encounters and assessments, the identification of professional learning and development opportunities, thus contributing to empower the cultural professionals and CSOs active in the region. The empowerment of sub-grantees’ networking skills has contributed positively to achieve their project results and enhance their impact.

The following main priorities of networking were identified among the SouthMed CV partners:

  • EMPOWER the sub-grantees of the 1st call to gear up their networking activities through peer-learning and coaching;
  • EXPAND the outreach towards the sub-grantees of the 2nd call who were geographically more balanced by mapping accessible networks at the local, national and regional level;
  • PRESENT the SouthMed CV project at relevant events and networks.

The Networking Strategy has addressed first and foremost the HOW of the project implementation and contributed to the quality of its results. As such, it has been closely connected to the building of Community of Practice and part of the overall activating methodology of SouthMed CV.

In the context of the project, four mobility and networking encounters have been organised with the sub-grantees of the 1st and 2nd call in Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan. Each encounter included special networking development workshops for and with the sub-grantees.

During the workshops each sub-granted project team was invited to do (I) a base-line analysis of its current state of networking on local, national and regional/international level, and to assess their strengths and weaknesses.

As a second step (II), each sub-granted project team was asked to go into the forward-thinking mode, and indicate future ambitions and the desired situation of networking development, building actively on SouthMed CV learning experience, as well as possible synergies with other sub-granted projects and with SouthMed CV consortium.

The five key steps to create effective networking strategies were part and parcel of these peer-to-peer exchanges:

  1. What do you want to achieve through networking? = the networking goals
  2. Assess the quality of your current network = audit
  3. Who do you need to meet, where can you meet them = find
  4. What will you do to progress to a high quality and mutually beneficial relationship = build
  5. How will you keep the relationships alive and kicking = maintain

The majority of the sub-grantees have been able to build quality cooperation with a wide array of partners.

Occasionally also media was mentioned, in particular radio and television.

Some sub-granted projects have indicated the need of very precise strategic partnerships with competent content and technical partners (e.g., the cinematography centres of their countries, film factory, artist networks, culture investment funds, production and distribution companies, etc.).

A strategic approach to political sparring partners deemed vital for successful action (e.g. Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Justice, municipalities, etc.).

Also, in the perspective of inclusive action, cooperation with cultural spaces and centres based in disadvantageous neighbourhoods as well as refugee camps has been shared as a priority as well as expanding the base of audience reached around the country (in combination with strong communication strategy).

Broaden the regional and international outreach in search for ideas and cooperation has also been mentioned. E.g. better network in the Southern Mediterranean region, spreading awareness through social e-networks, using MENA region festivals for targeted networking, as well as seeking partnerships in Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Africa as well as Europe/North America (often content specific, sparring partnerships with art centres, theatre/dance companies, etc.).

Some projects have also expressed an interest to find access to international partners such as cultural initiatives (mostly the European culture institutes, embassies as in-kind sponsors), UNESCO and the Anna Lindh Foundation.

Activities

Mobility Scheme

General Aims

  • To examine the issues raised during the implementation of the sub-granted projects,
  • To disseminate the activities of the sub-granted projects in the Southern Mediterranean region,
  • To implement the Networking Strategy designed by the German Commission for UNESCO,
  • To present, assess and give feed-back of the sub-granted projects,
  • To strengthen linkages between culture and other sectors in the perspective of sustainable and human development,
  • To promote cross-border and peer-learning opportunities,
  • To support the development of local and national cultural strategies and policies.

 

SouthMed CV Platform

SouthMed CV has developed an Intranet Platform managed by Interarts – the consortium leader and general coordinator of the project.

This Platform is designed to facilitate access, exchange and cooperation among the sub-grantees, as well as the consortium partners.

The Platform provides to all registered users the following applications and possibilities:

  • Members directory
  • Folder for each sub-granted project to upload and comment text documents, photos, graphics, etc.
  • Activity streaming (a general wall indicating the activities on the Platform defining date, time, name of users, etc.)
  • Agenda and calendar
  • Chat
  • Forum space
  • Wiki space

 

SouthMed CV Encounters

Each encounter has taken place in different locations, and has focused on mobility, capacity building and networking activities among the sub-grantees, with the active participation of the SouthMed CV consortium and invited stakeholders.

The first encounter, hosted and organised by BAC Art Centre with the support of Interarts, took place from 4 to 8 April 2016, in Tunis, Tunisia. It gathered representatives of 12 sub-granted projects of the 1st call from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, as well as the representatives of the SouthMed CV consortium.

The second encounter was hosted and organised by Khayal Arts & Education with the support of Interarts and the collaboration of Maqamat Dance Theatre from 18 to 21 April 2016 in Beirut, Lebanon. It was attended by representatives of 7 sub-granted projects of the 1st call from Lebanon and Palestine, as well as the SouthMed CV consortium.

The third encounter, gathering the SouthMed CV consortium and representatives of 21 sub-granted projects of the 2nd call from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia was organised by BAC Art Centre with the support of Interarts from 27 March to 1 April 2017.

The fourth encounter with the SouthMed CV consortium and representatives of 7 sub-granted projects of the 1st call and 21 sub-granted projects of the 2nd call was organised on the 1 and 2 December 2017, in Amman, Jordan. It was hosted by the National Centre for Culture and Arts of King Hussein Foundation (NCCA), with the support of Interarts.

 

Expected Results

  • Different cross-border activities contributing to the capacity development of the SouthMed CV sub-granted project organisations and the regional networking.
  • Design and implementation of networking activities in synergy with relevant developments in the Southern Mediterranean region, contributing to SouthMed CV and sub-granted projects’ visibility, impact and sustainability.

Continuous coaching and assessment to the sub-grantees, throughout the implementation of their projects.

About

southmedcv-map

SouthMed CV takes an open-ended approach, which places emphasis on culture and local development. Therefore it is expected that the selected projects include artistic co-productions with a citizen participation component, partnerships between cultural associations and schools, capacity-building seminars for local cultural entrepreneurs, art exhibitions focusing on social and environmental issues, or institution-building activities for associations of cultural organisations, professionals or producers, among others.

About

Enhance technical skills for cultural actors; foster national and international networking for not-for-profit organisations, cultural operators and projects; and strengthen representative cultural organisations at institutional level.

Promote the economic potential of the cultural sector through initiatives and mechanisms supporting cultural entrepreneurs and local strategies, taking into account the creative economy as a policy priority.

Strengthening citizen participation, community based work, and educational practices.

Develop new collaborative practices by implementing cultural exchange programmes, partnerships, and multidisciplinary artistic platforms.

About

Two calls for project proposals, to be launched in August 2015 and in August 2016, aimed at not-for-profit organisations and local authorities for cultural and artistic projects that contribute in strengthening the place that culture occupies in local, regional or national development strategies, through cooperation with other agents in the public sphere. Beneficiaries awarded a grant in the first call for proposals will be eligible to apply for the second call after finalizing their project.

Identification of the learning opportunities existing amongst the selected projects and their partners, and its implementation through local, national, regional exchanges and networking strategies.

A final publication highlighting the project’s results, impacts and key issues.

Two final public conferences presenting the results of the project, including identified relevant policy recommendations and sustainability opportunities in the Southern Mediterranean region.

About

SouthMed CV intends to foster the role of culture in social cohesion. It will do so by funding cultural and artistic innovative projects related to human rights, gender, diversity, social inclusion or environmental issues, preferably with a potential and multiplier long-lasting effect.

It will also contribute to the development of capacities and skills of cultural operators, institutional strengthening of cultural associations and networks, exchange of expertise at regional level, and promotion of cooperation between cultural organisations and other actors in civil society.

About

SouthMed CV aims to bring culture from the margins to the center of the public sphere in the Southern Mediterranean, exploring its potential connections with economic, social and political development strategies.

This project has emerged from the observation and analysis of the diversity of cultural contexts and practices, linked to multiple imaginaries in the Southern Mediterranean, and the need to enhance the professional capacities of cultural operators, practitioners and organisations active in this field.

In the light of existing international, EU and regional strategies for sustainable development (e.g. the MDGs, the EU’s Europe 2020 strategy, European Agenda for Culture and Neighbourhood Policy, the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, etc.), the project aims to address the aforementioned needs by implementing a range of diverse activities with a strong demonstrative and communication potential, with integrated learning, knowledge partnership and networking dimensions.

SouthMed CV is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the regional programme Med Culture.

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News

The first partner meeting for the ”SouthMed CV-Communities of practice for the public value of culture in the Southern Mediterranean” project, which started its activities at the start of the month, took place in Casablanca, Morocco, on the 27th and 28th of April. This meeting was held in the framework of the First Regional Conference for the Media and Culture for development programme in the Southern Mediterranean, Med Culture, which was entitled ”Creativity, Innovation, Competitiveness and Development”. SouthMed CV is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the regional programme Med Culture, and its public introduction was made during the Conference. This initiative’s main objective is to build and reinforce the social, economical and political impact of culture in the region. Interarts leads the consortium of non-profit organisations which are responsable for developing SouthMedCV: BAC Art Centre (Tunisia); Gudran, Association for Art and Development (Egypt); National Centre for Culture and Arts (NCCA)/King Hussein Foundation (Jordan); German Commission for UNESCO and the KHAYAL Cooperative Lebanese Association for Arts and Education (Lebanon). The Casablanca meeting was useful to brainstorm the strategy and first steps of the project.

Press Releases

SouthMed CV, a project funded by the European Union within the framework of the regional programme Med Culture, will launch two calls for proposals in the period 2015 – 2017 in order to support and promote over 30 innovative and contextually relevant cultural projects, towards the empowerment of cultural operators in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia.

SouthMed CV seeks both to enhance the role of culture as a development factor, as well as to strengthen the work and capacities of cultural operators and practitioners in the Southern Mediterranean region.

 SouthMed CV was launched on 1st of April 2015 for a three-year period (2015-2018), implemented by a consortium led by Interarts in Spain, and five non-governmental organisations in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Germany.

“SouthMed CV corresponds really to what we need. We need funds and capacity-building especially for young cultural managers of our region”

BAC Art Centre, Tunisia

“The impact of SouthMed CV will be to increase the awareness of the value of culture amongst the local communities in Egypt, and to use art as introduction for social transformation”

Gudran, Association for Art and Development, Egypt
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Apply

Deadline for submissions: 2nd November 2015 at 21:00 (GMT)  

SouthMed CV is looking to support innovative, creative and outstanding cultural and artistic projects focusing on the role of culture in a diversity of contexts carried out in cooperation with other stakeholders. Projects should aim at having an impact on public space, and at strengthening the managerial and institutional capacities of cultural operators and artistic organisations in the Southern Mediterranean[1].

The present call contains two lots. Applications under this call may be submitted in one of the following two:

Lot 1

1. Projects contributing at strengthening the role of culture at local, national and regional level, in cooperation with other stakeholders in the public sphere (e.g. organisations active in the social, educational or environmental fields, youth and cultural centres, schools, universities, libraries, local authorities, etc.). [2]

Lot 2

2. Projects aiming to enhance the institutional and managerial capacities of cultural operators and artistic organisations, and promote their visibility and role in public space at the local, national and regional levels.

Grants requested under this call must fall between the minimum and maximum amounts:

Lot 1: minimum 10.000 and maximum 30.000 Euros

Lot 2: minimum 5.000 and maximum 20.000 Euros

Applicants cannot submit more than one application. The indicative amount available for the 2 lots is 500.000,00 euros

SouthMed CV reserves the right not to award all available funds if submitted applications do not fulfill the selection criteria.

SouthMed CV is implemented by a consortium led by Interarts, Spain, in partnership with BAC Art Center, Tunisia,  Gudran for Art and Development, Egypt, Khayal Arts & Education, Lebanon, the National Center for Culture and Arts King Hussein Foundation, Jordan, and the German Commission for UNESCO. For the purpose of the present call for proposals, Interarts will act as ‘contracting party’ on behalf of the consortium.

SouthMed CV is funded by the European Union within the framework of the regional programme Med Culture, designed to accompany partner countries in south of the Mediterranean in the development and improvement of cultural policies related to the cultural sector.

[1]Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.

[2] Projects funded under this category may include any art form or cultural discipline (e.g. performing arts, visual arts, music, literature, heritage, new media, etc.), or several of them simultaneously.

Go to: application form, grants guidelines, evaluation criteria.

southmed-workshop
News

The workshop ”Artistic network projects in the Mediterranean area: reality and challenges” took place in the Instituto Goethe in Barcelona, on May 14th and 15th. SouthMed CV was one of the projects that were submitted within the framework of this workshop. The objective of SouthMed CV is to produce a multiplier effect and a long lasting impact of culture as a development factor in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. With this objective, SouthMed CV will hold two public calls for proposals to fund innovative cultural and artistic projects related to environmental, gender, diversity or social inclusion issues. Interarts leads the consortium of non-profit organisations responsible for developing SouthMedCV: BAC Art Center(Tunisia); Gudran, Association for Art and Development (Egypt); National Center for Culture and Arts (NCCA) / King Hussein Foundation(Jordan); Khayal, Cooperative Association for Arts and Education (Lebanon); German Commission for UNESCO. The initiative is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the regional programme Med Culture.