Short Description
The European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) is an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA) supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, built to empower festivals and offer emerging artists a platform to establish themselves on the international stage. EFFEA extends an open invitation for festivals to work across borders and create a network of colleagues with shared goals. It recognises that the future lies in the synergy of diverse perspectives and collective efforts. Through an EFFEA Residency, festivals join hands to foster the success of emerging artists.
EFFEA is the next step in a movement of festivals in Europe that recognise themselves and commit to working together at a European level. It builds on the preparatory action called EFFE: Europe for Festivals Festivals for Europe.
Two Residency Categories:
1. EFFEA Discovery: Festivals support artists at the early stages of their careers with a strong potential to break through internationally. Approximately 40 grants of €8,000 will be awarded. It must include:
- One work-in-progress (or production result) presentation at the leading festival
- One workshop (live or online) between the artist and the festivals
- One EFFEA film about the residency (to be included in the final report)
- Participation in the EFFEA Intake and Outtake Seminars
2. EFFEA Springboard: Festivals support artists established in their own countries and ready to expand internationally. Approximately 10 grants of €15,000 will be awarded. It must include:
- One presentation of the artist’s work (finished work) at the leading festival and each partner festival, so at least 3 presentations
- One masterclass led by the artist in at least three countries, taking place at the leading festival and at least two partner festivals
- One EFFEA film about the residency (to be included in the final report)
- Participation in the EFFEA Intake and Outtake Seminars
Who will benefit from this Fund?
FESTIVALS
How? Expanded network of festivals; Collaboration with peers; New programmes and new artists; Financial support to promote the work of emerging artists at a European level.
EMERGING ARTISTS proposed by the festivals (The EFFEA Fund defines emerging artists not by age but by their novelty to programmers and audiences and their potential for international breakthrough. This includes individual artists and groups across various artistic disciplines).
How? Time and space to develop ideas; Network of programmers and local artists in different countries; Residencies, seminars and workshops/ masterclasses; European visibility; Capacity-building; New presentation contexts.
AUDIENCES
How? Access to new talents and repertoire; Access to diverse and interdisciplinary works.
Eligibility
The festivals and artists work in one or more of the following artistic disciplines: Architecture, Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Circus, Design/ Applied arts, Digital arts, Film, Folklore and folk arts, Heritage, Interdisciplinary, Literature, Music, Opera, Street Art, Theatre, Photography/ Video, Puppetry, Sculpture, Painting.
Eligible countries
Festivals and artists should have their official address in one of the following eligible countries: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, and Ukraine.
Festivals with their official address from the following countries are allowed to participate as partner festivals only: Israel, Moldova, Palestine, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK. Artists from these countries can be proposed.
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
There are two categories of residencies:
1. EFFEA Discovery: Festivals support artists at the early stages of their careers but with a strong potential to break through internationally. Approximately 40 grants of 8.000€ are attributed to this category.
2. EFFEASpringboard: Festivals support artists already established in their own country, ready to develop their career internationally. Approximately 10 grants of 15.000€ are attributed to this category.
Entry Fee
None
Location
Brussels, Belgium
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 3 November 2025
Website Link: https://www.effea.eu/
