Organizer Information
Culture Helps Solidarity is a European cultural support programme designed to help arts and culture professionals from Ukraine sustain creativity, resilience, and community connection during and after the war. The programme runs until 2028 and is co-funded through the Creative Europe Programme. It is implemented by the European Cultural Foundation (Amsterdam, Netherlands), together with Insha Osvita (Kyiv, Ukraine), zusa (Berlin, Germany), and the VETERANKA Movement (Kyiv, Ukraine). The programme combines individual grants, thematic project grants, and collaboration grants with mentoring, learning, and peer exchange.
Title & Description
Collaboration Grants – Second Round
The Culture Helps Solidarity – Collaboration Grants, Second Round supports international collaborative projects using arts and culture to improve access to cultural participation and support the integration of displaced Ukrainians and refugees into host communities. It pays particular attention to vulnerable groups, veterans, and mental well-being.
Projects should encourage cross-border networking, professional exchange, intercultural dialogue, stronger cultural-sector capacities, and long-term cooperation between Ukraine and Creative Europe countries. The call prioritises partnerships between Ukrainian-led organisations, whether based in Ukraine or operating in exile, and non-Ukrainian organisations, particularly those from neighbouring Creative Europe countries.
Categories
- Arts & Culture
- Cultural Projects
- Intercultural Dialogue
- Community & Socially Engaged Art
- Cultural Management
- Mental Well-being through Culture
- International Cultural Collaboration
Eligibility
The call is open to partnerships of at least two organisations. At least one partner must be a legally established civic, public, or eligible private organisation in Ukraine, active in Ukraine or in exile and working in the cultural, creative, or civil sector. At least one additional partner must be a legally established organisation active in a Creative Europe country.
At least one partner must be a cultural organisation and/or work on the integration of displaced Ukrainians or refugees into new communities, with particular attention to veterans.
Applicants must be 18+, submit the application in English, and demonstrate sufficient English-language proficiency. Private organisations must have non-commercial status and be able to demonstrate the charitable status of the project.
Political parties and strictly humanitarian initiatives or individual cost-of-living requests are not eligible.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Up to €20,000 for partnerships involving two organisations
- Up to €30,000 for partnerships involving three or more organisations
- At least 15 international projects will be awarded
- Eligible costs may include production, marketing, venue rental, IT and communication tools, materials, travel, expert fees, artists’ honoraria, legal services, staff, and operational costs
- One-on-one mentoring
- Community calls
- In-person networking meeting
- International professional exchange and matchmaking opportunities
Projects may run for up to 12 months. Co-financing is not mandatory, although using the grant for a maximum of 80% of the total project budget is recommended.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Online information and matchmaking event: 15 September 2026
- Application Deadline: 10 November 2026
- Project Selected: End of January 2027
- Earliest project start date: 1 February 2027
- In-person networking event, date TBC: Summer 2027
- End of selected projects: 31 January 2028
- Final report deadline: 29 February 2028
Location
Netherlands, Creative Europe countries
Additional Details
The selected project must not receive funding from another Creative Europe scheme. Awarded partnerships are required to participate in the programme's mentoring, community calls, and in-person networking activities. Applicants are encouraged to use human expertise and professional or artistic judgement; proposals relying primarily on AI-generated content or concepts may receive lower priority.