Organizer Information
The Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF) is a Euro-Mediterranean intergovernmental organization established in 2005 and headquartered in Alexandria, Egypt. Inspired by the legacy of Anna Lindh, the foundation promotes intercultural dialogue, social inclusion, cultural cooperation, and mutual understanding across the Euro-Mediterranean region. Through its extensive network of more than 4,500 civil society organizations spanning 43 member countries, ALF supports initiatives that foster cultural exchange, civic participation, and peaceful coexistence.
This open call is implemented within the framework of the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue initiative, developed in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). The initiative emerged from recommendations made by youth representatives from more than twenty Mediterranean countries and was subsequently endorsed by the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership member states. For 2026, the cities of Matera (Italy) and Tétouan (Morocco) have been designated as Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue.
Title & Description
ALF Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue 2026
Support for Cultural and Intercultural Activities in Matera (Italy) and Tétouan (Morocco)
The Anna Lindh Foundation is inviting legally registered intercultural organizations, cultural entities, and equivalent institutions from across the Euro-Mediterranean region to submit proposals for cultural and intercultural activities that will take place in Matera, Italy, or Tétouan, Morocco.
The call aims to support projects that use culture as a catalyst for social inclusion, intercultural dialogue, community engagement, and mutual understanding. Selected organizations will design and implement public-facing cultural activities that celebrate the diversity of the Mediterranean region while fostering interaction between local communities and international participants.
Projects should create meaningful cultural experiences that encourage participation and dialogue through artistic and creative practices. Activities may be organized in cultural venues, public spaces, community centers, theaters, libraries, museums, or alternative sites agreed upon with local authorities.
Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Live performances
- Theatre productions
- Dance performances
- Music and sound-based projects
- Cultural heritage activities
- Storytelling events
- Craft and traditional arts demonstrations
- Interactive exhibitions
- Visual art installations
- Public art interventions
- Participatory workshops
- Collaborative artistic projects
- Sensory and immersive experiences
- Community-based cultural initiatives
All activities must be non-profit and free of charge for audiences. Ticket sales are not permitted under this funding scheme.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Public Art
- Installation Art
- Performance
- Theatre
- Dance
- Sound and Music
- Cultural Heritage
- Storytelling
- Community Arts
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Participatory Art
- Social Practice
- Craft
- Cultural Programming
- Intercultural Dialogue
Eligibility
- Legally registered intercultural organizations
- Cultural associations
- Non-profit organizations
- Cultural institutions
- Civil society organizations
- Community-based cultural entities
- Intercultural networks and collectives
Applicants must be based in one of the 43 eligible Euro-Mediterranean countries participating in the Anna Lindh Foundation network.
Eligible countries include:
Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, the Netherlands, Tunisia, Türkiye, and others included in the ALF framework.
Applicants may submit only one proposal.
Preference will be given to organizations that:
- Are members of the ALF National Civil Society Networks
- Have demonstrated experience in intercultural dialogue
- Have not received funding through previous ALF Cultural and Intercultural Calls (2024–2026)
- Promote gender balance, youth participation, and cultural diversity
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected projects will receive lump-sum financial support for implementation.
Funding Categories
Small-Scale Projects
- Up to €2,500
- Covers activities involving up to three individuals
Medium-Scale Projects
- Between €2,500 and €5,000
- Covers activities involving four to five individuals
Funding may be used for:
- Venue costs
- Equipment rental
- Artistic and professional fees
- Materials and production expenses
- Local transportation
- International travel
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Technical requirements
- Project implementation costs
The total budget allocated to this call is €30,000.
In addition to financial support, selected organizations will benefit from:
- International visibility through the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue initiative
- Networking opportunities across the Euro-Mediterranean cultural sector
- Increased audience engagement
- Collaboration with local partners and municipalities
- Participation in ALF coordination meetings
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Organizational information
- Contact details
- Project title
- Description of the proposed activity
- Venue and implementation details
- Portfolio or evidence of previous work
- Description of participant roles
- Audience engagement strategy
- Dissemination and communication plan
- Sustainability and environmental considerations
- Budget proposal using the official template
- Information about local partners
- Supporting documentation, where available
Applicants are encouraged to establish an agreement in principle with a local partner based in Matera or Tétouan before submission.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Call Launch: 4 June 2026
- Online Information Session: 16 June 2026
- Application Deadline: 4 July 2026
- Selection Results Announcement: 6 August 2026
- Project Implementation Period: October–December 2026
Location
Matera, Italy
Tétouan, Morocco
Additional Details
- Projects must be non-profit.
- Ticket sales are not permitted.
- Activities should demonstrate strong intercultural and social impact.
- Environmental sustainability is included as an evaluation criterion.
- Selected organizations must sign a contract with the Anna Lindh Foundation.
- A written agreement with a local partner or administration is mandatory before contracting.
- Selected organizations must provide event documentation, attendance records, photographs, dissemination materials, and a lessons-learned report.
- Successful applicants will participate in online coordination and evaluation meetings organized by ALF.
- Artificial Intelligence use in proposal preparation must be declared in the application form.
Evaluation Criteria
- Cost Effectiveness (30%)
- Credentials and Experience (25%)
- Audience Interaction (20%)
- Dissemination Strategy (15%)
- Sustainability Considerations (10%)