Western Balkan Youth Cultural Fund brings new opportunities for art in action to contribute to mutual understanding and lasting peace
Following the successful completion of the First Open Call, which supported 29 individuals and organizations from the Western Balkans region, whose projects covered the entire spectrum of cultural and artistic expression – from music, literature, and architecture, to projects in the field of cultural heritage, design, fashion, visual and performing arts, Regional Youth Office (RYCO) now invites individuals and organizations to apply for the Second Open Call and contribute to regional cooperation and reconciliation through cultural activism.
The Western Balkans Youth Cultural Fund is a multi-year RYCO project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and supported by the governments of the Western Balkans. The project is intended for cultural practitioners and civil society organizations in the field of culture, aiming to support youth cultural activism and creative solutions in response to current social and political issues in the region.
Successfully implemented projects from the previous project cycle are the best indicators of the cultural and artistic contribution to enhancing regional cooperation, intercultural dialogue, and peacebuilding, and serve as a motive for continuing activities in the new, second Open Call.
“Being part of this project allowed us to create a thread between artists from Sarajevo and Belgrade, which has demonstrated itself in the wonderful joint work during our final event, a fashion show. Through this activity, we aimed for the exchange of cultures and goods which were of relevance to artistic creation throughout history, and play an integral role in the creation of connections and networks of young designers and activists across the Western Balkan region” – shared enthusiastically one of the grantees, Jana Zarkovic.
Same as in the previous Call, the Grant opportunity for individuals in the 2nd Call is 3,000 EUR, while CSOs can apply for grants up to 6,000 EUR. More information for the application process is available on the RYCO website www.rycowb.org
By applying and participating in projects, young people gain a unique opportunity to be vocal and share their views on various social issues through creative expression.
Individuals, cultural practitioners, and civil society organizations in the field of culture from WB6 can submit applications for the Second public call from March 11th to April 11th, 2024.
