The ending of the year 2024 was marked by the launch of Open Call for Applications for Creative Leaders Exchange Grants for Individuals Ref: CC4WBS003IN/2024 under the Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans project funded by the European Union.
Creative Leaders Exchange Grants for Individuals are designed to support peer-to-peer exchange, including networking and potential direct collaborations between cultural leaders from the Western Balkans (WBs) and host organisations/institutions from Europe through study and research visits.
The primary goal of the Creative Leaders Exchange Grants is to promote innovative approaches, methods, and formats in the arts and culture. They will create opportunities for sharing perspectives, knowledge, and fostering collaboration between grant recipients from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) and their host counterparts in Europe.
With the aim of facilitating international exchange of experience between the grantee and the host through study/research, broadening professional perspectives, expanding professional networks on a broader European scale, and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions from the Western Balkans, the following creative leaders were selected for grant funding for their proposed research/study visit topics:
1. Dorina Xheraj-Subashi (Albania) - Pathing innovation practices communicating in museums and heritage sector
2. Senka Ibrišimbegović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - Art in Public Spaces_potentials for urban regeneration and development through participatory, interactive and innovative methods
3. Gorčin Dizdar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - VDONAUKANAL
4. Dardan Hoti (Kosovo) - Fostering Queer Artistic Innovation: A Creative Leaders Exchange for Collaboration and Cultural Advocacy
5. Brano Mandić (Montenegro) - Art-to-Public
6. Filip Kečina (Montenegro) - Strengthening digital arts and independent music production: Exchange with JeboTon and 44BookingBiro
7. Dino Chupevski (North Macedonia) - Drawing Parallels: Exploring Sustainable Cultural Models between Skopje and Zagreb
9. Marija Rodić (Serbia) - Creative Journey on the B-side
10. Maja Ćurčić (Serbia) - Voices of Connection: Music as a tool for social change
We are looking forward to seeing the impact of all Creative Leaders exchange grants in the cultural and creative industry sector across the Western Balkans region.