Tandem Cultural Capitals: applications closed

Deadline is Wednesday 1 May 2019 12.00 CET (noon)

• Are you an experienced creative professional and/or manager who works for an arts and culture organisation based and working in (the region of) *Leeuwarden-Fryslân 2028 | Galway 2020 | Rijeka 2020 | Eleusis 2021 | Novi Sad 2021 | Esch-zur-Alzette 2022 | Kaunas 2022 | Veszprém 2023?

• Do you represent or manage: a non-profit organisation, public institution, creative social enterprise, an arts initiative, collective or association? (artists, freelancers, students or individual professionals without a link to an organisation are not eligible)

• Are you ready to fill the European dimension of your former or future European Capital of Culture programme with innovative cross-border collaboration ideas, jointly designed by you and your new Tandem partner?

Winning the European Capital of Culture title puts the cultural scene of cities and regions in the European spotlight. Building international networks, enabling local players to cooperate on a European level and sharing know-how, is an important part of the programme – before, during but also after this specific year. Tandem Cultural Capitals will bring together cultural professionals from past and future European Capitals of Culture in order to facilitate, renew and strengthen this central strategic dimension.

Tandem is a cluster of practical collaboration and internationalisation programmes that support individual learning and organisational development through joint cultural action – locally and across borders. The programmes offer a pan-European platform for project initiators to develop their skills, innovate established practices and connect to international networks. Tandem is a space to build sustainable international partnerships that grow through shared values. It builds networks of creative professionals, cultural managers and their organisations and it supports the impact they make on their cities, regions, and Europe in general.

We offer you a unique platform to match and work with a new international partner of your choice. All participants selected for Tandem Cultural Capitals will first meet in Rijeka to find their match from one of the other participating cities and regions. Between June and November 2019, all newly formed collaborations aka ‘tandems’ realise a working visit (placement) at their partner organisation. Practical peer-to-peer learning tools and exploring joint project ideas will get all participants ready for a more long-term internationalisation process, they will discuss and co-design during a Follow-up group learning meeting in Leeuwarden.

Tandem Partner Forum (10-14 June 2019)
During the Tandem Partner Forum up to 30 selected participants (creative professionals and managers of cultural organisations from the participating European Capitals of Culture) gather to meet their peers and match with a new Tandem partner for developing European collaboration ideas. Next to the matching process we offer workshops on international collaboration skills, peer-to-peer networking and discussions on relevant European Capital of Culture questions as well as study visits with insights to the programme of Rijeka 2020.

Tandem Placements (June – November 2019)
After the Tandem Partner Forum, each participant receives a mobility grant for realising several days of working visits (placements) at the location of their new Tandem partner. These visits offer you an insight into the practical work of your new partner organisation and a first-hand experience of another European Capital of Culture. They also offer time for working on your joint future project ideas. In return, you host your new Tandem partner for a visit to your organisation and city afterwards.

Follow-Up Meeting (19–22 November 2019)
At the end of the programme, all participants reconvene one more time to review the outcomes of their mutual working visits. With their Tandem peers they discuss the exchange process (so far) and continue co-designing the future of their pilot collaborations. This concluding group learning meeting could also serve for preparing your new cooperation ideas and plans conceived during the Tandem process for presentation to your local European Capital of Culture offices.

Want to know more about the programme, read the FAQ document.

• an experienced creative professional and/or manager who works for an arts and culture organisation based and working in (the region of) Eleusis (GR), Esch-zur-Alzette (LU), Galway (IE), Kaunas (LT), Leeuwarden-Fryslân (NL), Novi Sad (RS), Rijeka (HR) or Veszprém (HU).

• interested to leave the day-to-day working routines inside your local comfort zone, and ready to engage in an entirely new cross-border working partnership on European level.

• looking for a chance to develop your professional profile and your organisation through building European collaborations, and connecting to creative networks in other European Capitals of Culture.

• interested in exploring the challenges and opportunities of your European Capital of Culture together with a European colleague and partner organisation who works in a similar context.

• available to seriously commit 6 months of your time to a collaborative working process – including 2 longer group meetings (in English) and working visits (placements) abroad.