Inspire and be inspired by the Italian cultural sector in the field of cultural education for primary and secondary school pupils. As part of FuturoPresente we are organising a conference (provisionally) titled ‘Cultural Education for Tomorrow’, on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 October 2023 in Trento, Italy. During this conference, participants will present practical cases and we will explore possibilities for collaboration. With a view to the international perspective, we also offer the option of bringing along an international colleague. Are you an organisation that can present an interesting case, or are you eager to explore the field of cultural education from an international perspective? The Cultural Participation Fund is happy to offer you the opportunity to attend the conference. Read on to find out how to apply for a grant and for what purpose.

What opportunities does this conference offer?

The Netherlands and Italy have long been frontrunners in the field of cultural education and cultural offer for young audiences.

This conference will for the first time bring together Dutch, Italian and other international professionals in culture and education, in Trento’s Teatro Sociale. The goal of the conference is to present and exchange experiences and examples, particularly for and between Dutch and Italian organisations. A further goal is to identify opportunities for (new) international collaborative projects. The conference is mainly aimed at cultural education for school-going young people within the age bracket of approximately 4 to 18 years old.

The conference programme: a matter of give and take!

Thanks to your contribution – by presenting your project or offer – and that of the other Dutch and Italian participants, it will be a high-quality and interactive programme. In addition, there will be speed-dates and thematic sessions enabling exchange with colleagues and other interested parties. The programme also includes stimulating international keynote lectures about tomorrow’s cultural education. In other words: there is much to be gained from the conference by being an active contributor. We will contact you well in advance to discuss your ideal contribution.

Why international cultural education?

The Cultural Participation Fund promotes and supports cultural education and international collaboration. The Fund sees further opportunities in bringing together these two work fields. It has noticed that Italy and the Netherlands face similar challenges with respect to cultural education, which also opens up opportunities to work together. That is why the Fund is launching this international Open Call in order to give interested cultural organisations and professionals (including CmK coordinators and self-employed professionals in cultural education) the chance to further explore international cultural education.

Italy 2023 – Programme of FuturoPresente

The Open Call is part of the FuturoPresente cultural programme. This programme is an initiative by the Dutch Foundation for Literature, the Performing Arts Fund NL, SEE NL and the Cultural Participation Fund, together with the Netherlands Embassy and Consulate-General in Italy. The programme started in March 2023 and comprises a series of events and activities in Italy throughout the year.

Strengthening international collaboration

This Open Call Netherlands – Italy 2023 is based on Chapter 4 of the International Collaboration Programme for 2022-2024. This grant scheme aims to promote long-term international collaboration in the field of cultural participation and education. With this Open Call, aimed at network building, exchanging knowledge and experience, and inventorying possible collaborations in the field of cultural education, the Fund seeks to strengthen international collaboration.  

Open Call Submissions

To submit an application

You can submit an application from 23 May 2023 until and including 28 June 2023 using the online application environment of Mijn Fonds, accessible via the Fund website. We will only consider complete applications, which must minimally consist of:

• The completed application form, including a balanced budget with explanation;
• A completed motivation form that includes, if applicable, the content of your presentation of a project in the field of cultural education, and/or a motivation for the participation of an international colleague.

You have the option of inviting an international colleague as a guest to the conference. This can also be an Italian party. The invitee does not necessarily need to have a role in a (future) collaboration project.

Please note: it is important to create an account for the online application environment in good time, since it can take several office days for a new user account to be activated.

The purpose of this Open Call

With this Open Call, the Fund aims to stimulate the exchange of experiences and best practices and future collaborations between Dutch and Italian cultural organisations. This Open call furthermore seeks to consolidate networks and to enhance the visibility of cultural practices as performed within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, outside the Kingdom.

Who is eligible to apply?

You are eligible to apply if you are a cultural organisation or a professional active within the cultural domain.

Terms used

In this Open Call, the following terms are defined as follows:

• Cultural organisation: an organisation or association established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, not having a commercial profit motive, that is committed to cultural participation or education;
• Professional in the cultural domain: any natural person who is professionally and independently active in the field of cultural participation or education.

What can you apply for?

You can apply for a grant if the application is aimed at one or more of the following criteria:

• Active participation in the conference by giving a presentation;
• Participation in the conference and intensifying contacts with (potential) collaboration or knowledge-sharing partners in Italy;
• The participation of an international (guest) party who can contribute to the exchange of experiences in the field of cultural education.

For all subjects, the following applies: the conference is aimed at network building and exchange in the field of cultural education within a school context, and at identifying opportunities for (new) cultural educational collaborative projects.

How are applications assessed?

Applications will be assessed with respect to the following criteria:

a. Quality of content

With this criterion we assess whether:

• The project to be presented is sufficiently in line with the purpose of this Open Call;
• The application has been elaborated clearly, cogently and substantively;
• There is a focus on a possible future collaborative project. 

b. Organisational quality

With this criterion we assess whether:

• The proposed activities are clear and realistic, including specific goals for the activities and a feasible planning;
• The budget for the activities is realistic.

Assessment procedure

The Fund will assess the application in the order that they are received and will issue a decision within 8 weeks of receiving the application.

This Open Call is based on Chapter 4 of the ‘Regeling Internationale Samenwerking 2022–2024’. This scheme can be found in the Staatscourant (Government Gazette) of 24 January 2022 (no. 1435) and on the Fund website (www.cultuurparticipatie.nl).