Call for applications: Pro Helvetia co-creation grants for creatives

The grant is a two-year pilot measure that seeks to offer support to collaborations resulting from previous artistic exchanges and co-creation projects.

The co-creation grant provides support to collaborations between two partners made up of individual artists or collectives (i.e. companies, groups, etc.) from the liaison offices regions and Switzerland, who wish to embark on a joint creation process. The grant supports tandems who want to develop project ideas further, building on exchanges from previous residencies, research trips or other experience of collaboration. The funding measure is a way to support artists in deepening mutual artistic practice.

What is supported?

The grant supports co-creation, including open-ended and process-oriented projects. Formats for planned presentations may vary from work-in-progress public showcases to presentations with an external partner in the framework of a programming (i.e. museum, festival, etc). The co-creation grant is up to 25 000 Swiss francs (about $27 000). Co-creation processes can only be supported for a maximum duration of 15 months.

Funding is available for:

• Artist fees: It is recommended that the fees correspond to the countries’ social-economic context. Fees must include payments for mandatory social security contributions.
• Travel costs for both applicants: Costs related to co-creation process and planned activities, including material costs, equipment rental, transportation costs, among others.

Eligibility

• Tandems of individual artists or collectives, where one of the applicants is based in Switzerland and the other in East, West, Central or Southern Africa.
• Tandem partners should be active in music (including podcasts), performing arts, design, interactive media, literature (including poetry, comics, children/youth literature) and visual arts (including architecture and photography). Projects between different artistic disciplines are also eligible.
• At least one of the applicants has completed a research trip or a residency supported by Pro Helvetia (in-person, digital, hybrid). Alternatively, applicants may present a compelling track record of previous joint collaborations with each other in Switzerland and/or the region (at least two to three projects).
• One of the applicants has Swiss nationality or holds permanent residency in Switzerland and presents their work at recognised venues with a cross-regional reach or is visibly active in national networks.

Exclusions

Pro Helvetia is unable to consider funding requests if:

• The conceptual and organisational lead of the project is not shared equally between the two partners.
• The project is a tour or presentation of an existing work.
• One of the applicants is a platform/festival or an art institution.
• The same part of the submitted project is already receiving funding from Pro Helvetia or other Swiss federal bodies (e.g. Federal Office of Culture, Presence Switzerland, Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation).
• The project is part of a school or university curriculum/basic training or continuing education programme (including dissertations, diploma projects, university scholarships, etc.).
• Funding is intended to cover infrastructure costs, as well as the costs of operating cultural facilities, its archives, and collections.
• No retroactive contributions are granted to projects already underway or completed.

How to apply

One partner per tandem hands in the application. Applications must be in English and submitted exclusively via the myprohelvetia.ch portal. Only complete applications will be considered.

Applications must contain the following:

• A joint statement for intent/motivation for collaboration from both tandem partners.
• A description of the planned co-creation project, project plan (incl. planned activities and presentations in Switzerland and/or the region), a budget explaining the requested amount (a single PDF), developed jointly by co-applicants.
• The portfolios of both applicants (or respective members of a collective) including links to videos etc., curriculum vitae, list of previous presentations/activities (compiled in a single PDF).
• Applications will be assessed within 10 weeks of submission. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application via email.

Applications may be submitted on an ongoing basis.

View the original call here.