Open call: 2026 Mediterranean Season programme

Announced in June 2023 by the President of France, Saison Méditerranée will take place in 2026 as a platform for artists, entrepreneurs, and innovators to collaborate across the Mediterranean region. The initiative seeks to foster cultural and creative exchanges, encourage cross-border projects, and celebrate the dynamic contributions of young people and diasporas.

Financial support request and eligible expenses

• Any request for financial support under the Mediterranean Season must comply with the Institut Français grant regulations, available at the website.
• If a project receives funding, the financial support will be granted to the French applicant organisation, which will be responsible for distributing it among its partners.
• This funding may cover expenses incurred by both the French organisation and its partners, based on a contractual agreement among them.
• The Mediterranean Season cannot fully fund a project. Additional funding from other sources must be secured. The Institut Français contribution will not exceed 50% of the total project budget and will only cover eligible expenses.
• Funding for the Season will come from public and private sponsorship sources. Some labelled projects will be selected by a sponsors’ committee established by the Institut Français. These projects may receive additional funding covering up to 50% of the total budget, provided they offer sponsorship benefits such as visibility on communication materials, event invitations, or privileged access to specific events.
• The selection committee may award funding that is lower than the amount requested by the applicant organisation.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, a project must:

• Include a complete application (filled-out digital form ).
• Fall within the event timeframe (15 May – 31 October 2026).
• Be submitted by a French organisation (legal entity) responsible for project administration.
• Be a cooperative project involving partners from Mediterranean countries, with at least one partner from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, or Lebanon.
• Include a jointly signed letter of cooperation from all partners.
• Align with at least one of the Season’s themes (NB: make sure you read and fully understand these on the guidelines provided on the official call):
  • Speculative Utopias.
  • Plural Identities.
  • Contemporary Spiritualities.
  • The Collective History of Migrations.
  • The Construction of Narratives.

How to apply

Applicants should apply here before 23 April 2025 (11:59 PM, Paris time). A second call for projects will open in September 2025.

Who can participate?

The call is open to artists, cultural organisations, entrepreneurs, and innovators operating in the Mediterranean region with projects that promote intercultural dialogue and regional collaboration. Whether through art, technology, or social initiatives, selected projects will contribute to an inspiring and unified Mediterranean experience.

Particular attention will be paid to proposals designed primarily with professionals from the following countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon, given the importance of existing links with civil society actors in these countries. The projects may involve other partners and operators from all shores of the Mediterranean.

“This Season will highlight the cultural and economic strengths and complementarities of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, and their capacity for joint action to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” Institut Français said. “A cradle of great civilisations, sharing, and migration, the Mediterranean is also the world's leading tourist destination, central to climate, economic, mobility, and intercultural issues.”

View the original call here.