The beginning of the year 2024 was marked by the launch of Open Call for Proposals Ref: CC4WBS0020R/2024 under the Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans project funded by the European Union. The Open Call was intended for civil society organisations (CSOs) and public institutions from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
With the aim of fostering artistic co-production, festival development and co-production, regional networking and promotion for enhanced cultural cooperation and access, the following projects were selected for grant funding
Under Thematic Window 3 LOT 1 – Festival Co-productions:
1. Creative Moxie: Catalyst for Creative Revolution
Implementing partners: Udruženje “Srpska filmska asocijacija” (SER), Art 365a (MNE) and Dom Omladine Beograda - DOB (SER)
2. Sleeping Giants: (Re)thinking mutual industrial heritage
Implementing partners: Cultural studies platform CULTstore (SER) and Association “Lift - prostorne inicijative” (BIH)
3. Balkan Art Fusion: Bridging Cultures through Urban Expression
Implementing partners: Qendra per Zhvillimin e Artit - Q’art (KOS) and Obojena Klapa (BIH)
4. OUT OF FRAME: Promoting New Perspectives through Photography
Implementing partners: Photography Development Centre - (Centar za razvoj fotografije) (SER) and Fluid Drum CSO (MNE)
5. Festivals in Arms
Implementing partners: Association “Krokodil” (SER) and Instituti i Librit dhe i Promocionit (ILP) (ALB)
6. Queer Culture Marathon Festival (QCMF)
Implementing partners: Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association - Queer Montenegro (MNE), Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA) (ALB) and Instituti Kosovar i Medias dhe Komunikimit – IKMK (KOS)
7. KreNI Startup
Implementing partners: Young Ambassadors (SER) and Startup Macedonia (MKD)
8. Festivals as a new practice in the multi-sector approach to preserving the cultural heritage of the Western Balkans
Implementing partners: National Museum Zrenjanin (SER), City museum Mirko Komnenovic and gallery Josip Bepo Benkovic (MNE) and Office for Cultural Diplomacy CSO (SER)
9. Balkan Fest Connect: Expanding Cultural Frontiers Through Collaboration
Implementing partners: Association for Promotion of Urban Culture in Herzegovina - Neretva Canton (BIH) and NGO “Sinteza” (MNE)
10. Festivals for establishing new partnership and promotion of improved cultural cooperation among Serbia and Montenegro
Implementing partners: NVO “Poligon za žensku izuzetnost - Sofija” (MNE) and NVO Sofos (KOS)
11. #Solidarity - FemFest 2025
Implementing partners: Shoqata Bash-Art (ALB) and Instituti i Instituti Kosovar i Medias dhe Komunikimit – IKMK (KOS)
12. XR – Interaction without Limits
Implementing partners: Independent Film Centre Filmart (SER), Art Without Limit (KOS) and Association for Media Literacy Planet-M (MKD)
13. Under 600 - platform for the independent theatre sector in WBs
Implementing partners: Association for cultural-artistic and educational action - Schtrich (MKD), DAH Theatre (SER) and Korifej Theatre (MNE)
14. Festival of Contemporary Theatre Tirana (Mediums)
Implementing partners: ‘MAM’ Foundation Center (Multidisciplinary Art Center) (ALB) and Kontakt (BIH)
15. Fresh Green Fest
Implementing partners: Udruženje Svježi talas - Fresh Wave (BIH) and Ostani Zelen (SER)
16. HER FRAME - Empowering Women in Western Balkan Media Arts and Filmmaking
Implementing partners: Cultural Center of Novi Sad (SER) and Drustvo na filmskite rabotnici na Makedonija - Manaki Brothers Film festival (MKD)
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Under Thematic Window 3 LOT 2 – Artistic Co-productions:
17. Home Reflections: A MultiFacet Journey Through Domestic Place
Implementing partners: Association for Visual Culture VIZART (BIH) and Akademska scena (SER)
18. Diachronic counterpoint
Implementing partners: Association “SA Sinfonietta” (BIH) and Association "Hila" (SER)
19. Art for Public Speech and Regional Promotion
Implementing partners: Center for creative work - Dobri medo (BIH) and Association of Artists Macedonian Center of the International Theater Institute / PRODUKCIJA Skopje (MKD)
20. Banned artists in their homeland
Implementing partners: Kujto Foundation (ALB) and Social Creativity (KOS)
21. New Adriatic Atlas
Implementing partners: APSS Institut (MNE) and Moderni u Beogradu (SER)
22. Regional Contemporary Art Magazine (O)GLED
Implementing partners: Udruženje građana “Anonymous said” (SER) and Museum of Contemporary Art of Republic of Srpska (BIH)
23. Whispers – Stories of Strong Women
Implementing partners: Instituti per Zhvillim Strategjik - Institute for Strategic Development (ALB) and Pan Pozoriste NGO (SER)
24. Tango Unity: Embracing Diversity Through Dance
Implementing partners: ZKU Familija Tangovi Skopje (MKD) and Buena Vista Dance School (MNE)
25. Festival “Miredita, Dobar dan!” 2025
Implementing partners: Youth Initiative for Human Rights (SER), Integra NGO (KOS) and Civic Initiatives (SER)
26. Raw materials for critical futures
Implementing partners: Kontrapunkt (MKD), Kuda.org (SER) and Ecokult (ALB)
We are looking forward to seeing the impact of all these projects in the cultural and creative industry sector across the Western Balkans region.