Tandem 360°: FAQ

For further information on the programme, conditions of participation and the application form please go to the open call page.

What is Tandem 360°?
This is the second round of Tandem 360° – a new addition to the six existing Tandem programmes for cultural exchange.

Tandem 360° runs for one year and aims to strengthen cultural and civil society ecosystems across the MENA region.

We are looking for the organisations that can share the knowledge of their field/discipline AND they have some experience and interest in developing their local/regional/cross-sectoral cooperation.

Please note that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, these dates are subject to change. We will continue monitoring the situation in the listed countries as well as following official recommendations of the World Health Organization closely, and will update measures when needed. If necessary, we will find solutions for postponing or having (online) alternatives for planned activities.

What is the online session about?
This is a chance for interested applicants to get more information about Tandem 360º, to get to know what we mean by ecosystem, and to answer questions about the application form and process.

When and how can I join the Online Info Session on Zoom?
The info session will take place on the 11th of November, 2020 (13:00 – 15:00 CET) as a Zoom meeting. You need to register for the info session, then you will receive the Zoom link. To do so, please send an e-mail to kryzanauskaite@mitost.org until the 9th of November 17:00 CET.

In order to have a great participatory experience, please follow the instructions below to join the call:
– If you haven’t used Zoom before, please download and try Zoom before the sessions. Join the test meeting. Use the test meeting to make sure everything is working well.
– Connect with a computer, not a tablet or smartphone.
– Use a computer with a camera.
– One person = one computer.
– We will use Google Slides as an artefact to work together.
– Please be in your own quiet place with a strong internet connection.
– A set of earphones with a mic can be very helpful to cut down on ambient noise.
– Please do not use the Zoom Web-app, since you won’t have access to all the features we need for the session.

What is the ‘Partner Forum’?
The ‘Partner Forum’ is where each of the 20 selected participants will look for the partner they will form a ‘Tandem’ with. It is a 4-day event (travel days not included) that will take place in early-February 2021. Each partner makes sure they are suitable to each other’s organisation and strategy. Once the partner is found, you hand in a joint collaboration application which will be evaluated by our team. After the event, up to 10 ‘tandems’ will be selected to take part in the full programme.

I took part in the ‘Partner Forum’. Does this mean that I will be part of all the activities to be realised in the framework of Tandem programme?
No. After you have found a partner, you will submit a joint application for your Tandem collaboration. Of the submitted applications, a maximum of 10 collaboration proposals will be selected to take part in the programme and receive the grant.

I would like to apply; however, I don’t work for an institution. Do you accept individual applications?
No. In order to be accepted to the programme, you should be working for one of the following: an independent cultural NGO, a non-hierarchical public institution (in which departments can take decisions on their own in order to participate), or a civil society initiative which is well rooted in a local community and has an established professional network. Such organisations may include, for example: cultural centres, artist collectives, universities, cultural heritage sites, creative tourism and cultural entrepreneurs.
If you do not have a relation to an organisation type listed above, you are not eligible.
In case you are a part of a non-institutional initiative or collective, you have to secure a partnership with a registered not-for-profit organisation for legal reasons regarding every activity following the Partner Forum.

Is the programme also open for artists?
No. However, if you are an artist and a cultural manager and/or a civil society activist at the same time, you can take part in Tandem as a cultural manager/civil society activist.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer the participation in the whole programme for “freelance” artists. A way for freelance artists to participate could be to follow the projects that will be implemented within the programme. Please check our website and social media frequently to see which institutions from your country are involved in the programme, and contact them directly.

Is there an age limit for the project manager? What are your other prerequisites for application?
No, there is no age limit. Cultural managers or civil society activists should have institutional as well as international experience, and also be open to new ideas, interested in new input and improving themselves to be part of this programme.

What language skills are generally needed?
A good command of English is needed in order to follow programme documents, evaluation meetings and trainings. However, the working language within the cooperation is determined based on the participants’ working languages. So far, in the region where Tandem 360° takes place, it has usually been English, French or Arabic. We also have French and Arabic speakers in the programme team.

Is it compulsory to take part in all the activities of the programme?
Yes, it is compulsory to take part in the programme as a whole, including all the meetings and activities mentioned above. Participation in only one part is not possible. The aim of the Tandem programme as a whole is to build up cooperation between cultural managers/civil society activists and partner organisations throughout one year and thereby create a long-term cooperation beyond the Tandem programme. As a cultural manager/civil society activist, by applying for a Tandem collaboration, you apply for the whole programme.

How many persons per organisation can take part in the programme?
Tandem is designed for one cultural manager/civil society activist from each organisation taking part in the whole programme as project coordinator.
Colleagues from the participating organisation can get involved and get to know the Tandem partner during the placements (working visits) in their organisations and/or through the joint Tandem project. They are also welcome to join the online sessions to get to know the programme.

Can we apply twice in the name of one institution?
Yes, it is possible to apply twice in the name of one institution, if there are two cultural managers in your organisation who are interested to take part in the programme but just one project manager might be selected. However, please contact us for further details before applying.

Can I apply with an already started project?
No, we don’t support a project that has already started. You can only apply with a project proposal co-designed with your Tandem partner.

Do I need to find my partner beforehand in the applicable countries?
No. If you have already a partner in mind, you might indicate this in the application form. But please keep in mind that your future partner needs to fill in the application form and apply to our programme. This is why we organise the Partner Forum where we will support you to find a suitable partner taking your interests into consideration.
I have already an existing partnership in the listed countries, can I apply with our existing/started cooperation?
It is OK if you have already created a tandem with a cultural institution in the listed countries. However, we will not support a project that has been started; you need to come up with a new proposal with your tandem. Please also consider again that your possible partner needs to apply separately to the programme.

My organisation is based in the listed countries, but I am not a citizen of this country, can I still apply?
Yes, if your organisation is based in one of the countries listed above you are more than welcome to apply.

What is the maximum fund that you will provide for the joint project? What if we need more?
We provide a start-up funding of up to EUR 7,500.00. If further funding is required, we encourage you to apply for other relevant opportunities and will support you in this.

Who will cover the travel expenses for the programme activities?
Accommodation, meals, transportation will be covered by the Tandem programme during the compulsory Tandem programme’s activities: i.e. Partner Forum, Collaboration Design Meeting, Ecosystem Basecamp, Reflection Meeting etc.

When will we know who will take part in the Partner Forum in early-February 2021? Who does the selections?
We will inform you about the results by early December 2020. The selection committee is composed of the implementing partners of the programme.

Do you need a copy of the organisation registration certificate from our institution?
No, at this stage we will not be asking for those documents. Nevertheless, for the Tandem application, which will be submitted after the Partner Forum, at least one of the partner organisation’s registration certificate will be demanded.

What happens after Tandem?
After the completion of the year-long Tandem experience, the participants will be part of the Tandem Network, which is constituted of all the alumni who participated within their respective Tandem programmes. Since its inception in 2011, Tandem has supported long-term collaborations, knowledge development and networking opportunities for more than 400 cultural managers from over 200 cities across three continents. There are currently six Tandem editions which focus on different regions and topics. To learn more about the network, please visit our website.

For any other concerns whom can I get in touch with?
For more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Project Manager Hatem Salama by e-mail: salama@mitost.org or the Project Assistant Eglė Kryžanauskaitė by e-mail: kryzanauskaite@mitost.org at MitOst (Berlin).

For further information on the programme, conditions of participation and the application form please go to: www.tandemforculture.org/stories/open-call-tandem-360