About the program
The Twinning Program focuses on bringing together two organizations in the field of art and culture with the aim to work closely for a period of time and to create a space for mutual learning and engagement, capacity building and networking. Twins in the program may exchange staff, skills and expertise on the level of management, programming and production. Organizations can apply for the program jointly, however, if an organization does not have a potential twin but it demonstrates the need for twinning, Kooperativa will provide a matchmaking process for those organizations.
Twinning Program includes participation of two organizations, or twins, from two different countries. The organizations apply with their tailor-made program that responds to the actual needs for capacity and/or program developments in their organizations. The program will take place in a format of mobility whereby the twins visit one another for a period of time, with the intention of further expanding the cooperation in future. The organizations should be working in matching fields in arts and culture. However, cross-sectoral cooperation will be supported when justified.
What types of formats will be supported?
Different formats are eligible for funding, for instance:
The study visit format is suitable in situations when the organizations intend to exchange knowledge and information about a specific program or topic with the intention of developing it further. The organizations should specify the topic in the application phase (i.e. education, public relations, audience development, etc.). The visit can be composed of meetings, interviews, observations, discussions, and similar. All this can be conducted with different stakeholders of the hosting organization, for example, team members relevant to the topic, target group, beneficiaries, partners, and others.
Hands-on format is suitable when the organizations need to exchange specific skills and practices relevant to their workplace in a certain department (i.e. stage management, event coordination, etc.). Such a format can be composed of practical work. During the exchange process, the participant integrates with the team members and works together in their chosen field.
New initiatives format will facilitate creation and development of new and joint undertakings of two organizations. These can be programs, projects, activities, events, etc. Such a format can be composed of workshops, brainstorming sessions, project writings, and similar practices. Applicants should identify the topic in the application stage.
If relevant, these formats can be combined. Organizations are free to propose other formats if they are aligned with the goals of the Twinning Program. All of the formats are based on mobility activities, that is, on the visit of one twin to another. Reciprocal visits are possible, but not mandatory. During the selection stage, they will be invited to design an agenda of mobility.
Who can participate?
Organizations working in the field of arts and culture that are based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia, Slovenia, and North Macedonia can apply. They can twin with another organization that operates in these countries, as long as it is not an organization from their home country.
The twins develop a proposal jointly and one of the partners is in charge of submission (applicant organization as referred to in the application form).
Timeline
Twinning Program is an annual program. The first cycle of the Program was carried out between December 2021 and April 2022.
The next call is expected in spring 2022.
Budget
Budget items covered by the program are travel expenses, accommodation, per diems and material costs related to the Twinning Program, only if they are needed. The maximum financial allocation is 4,000.00 EUR per one Twinning program. In case of the pandemic restrictions, the program can be switched online and in this case only material/production costs will be covered, if any.
Applicants are requested to send an estimated budget, in a value-per-money principle, based on the reasonable expense of the city they are going to be hosted in.
How to apply?
Follow the link in order to apply.
Deadline for application: The next call will be announced in spring 2022
For more information about the application procedure, you can contact platforma.kooperativa@gmail.com.
What if you do not have a twin yet?
If you do not have a twin organization (yet) and you need suggestions, you can write to us with the request to assist you in finding a twin. Make sure to include in the email the following details:
~ name of the organization
~ website
~ contact email
~ a short description of the twining idea.
You can send the request at platforma.kooperativa@gmail.com no later than one week from the launch date of the open call for the Twinning Program.
Kooperativa will search for a potential partner through our networks and in case of a twinning compatibility, provide you with the contact information of the potential twin. Once you are paired with an organization you should jointly develop a proposition and apply formally through the application process.
Who will benefit from the program?
1) Artists and curators from the region, who will get an opportunity to present their work and/or to collaborate with peers from the other countries; expand their professional networks; reach new audiences; and get introduced more closely with the independent cultural scenes in the other countries;
2) Staff involved in programming and management of the centers, who will create strong professional ties with each other;
3) Local communities, who will be introduced with the artists and artworks from the other art scenes from the region and EU, as well as to participate in the program.
About the REG.LAB project
The Twinning Program is part of the project Regional Lab: New Culture Spaces and Networks as drivers of an Innovative and Sustainable Bottom-up Development of Regional Collaboration (REG.LAB) granted by Creative Europe: Sub-programme – Western Balkans Cooperation projects – 2020.
The project builds on the existing experiences and collaborations and further develops regional and European exchange, creating a dynamic scheme of artistic exchange between cultural centers, creating evidence based knowledge on new participatory models of operation, building capacities and skills of artists and cultural operators to act regionally and internationally and raising visibility of regional collaboration both on a local and European level.
The project is conducted by the consortium consisting of several partners from six SEE countries lead by Kooperativa – Regionalna platforma za kulturu, and project partners Anibar from Kosovo, Društvo Asociacija from Slovenia, NKSS from Serbia, Jadro Association | Јадро Асоцијација | Jadro Asociacioni from North Macedonia, Operacija grad from Croatia, and OKC Abrašević from BiH.
