Call for Applications «Expanding Perspectives»
How can new spaces for dialogue be opened up in which multiple actors can make themselves heard, share their knowledge and experience, and link up with one another? How can this lead to the exploration of new participatory and collaborative approaches and thus give rise to new forms of communication? What cultural and social networks are relevant in this context?
To find answers to such questions, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is launching a call for applications under the heading «Expanding Perspectives». Coming in the wake of «Multiply Perspectives», its aim is to find projects that enable critical reflection among a variety of social groups and contribute to a diversification of voices in debates around Swiss artistic and cultural production. Pro Helvetia will thereby support projects by Swiss artists and cultural practitioners that seek new creative ways of networking and exchange.
The call for applications «Expanding Perspectives» is aimed at artists and cultural practitioners (artists and curators, cultural researchers and cultural critics) who are exploring different types of exchange and networking in a joint project in order to create new spaces for dialogue. The focus is, in particular, on new forms of reflection as well as national or international partnerships or collaborations. Projects submitted are to have a public impact and involve at least two individuals or a collective that together ensure multidisciplinary artistic approaches and perspectives. Support may also go to projects at the interface of artistic and other disciplines. Analog, digital and hybrid formats are eligible for support.
Selected projects will receive one-off contributions amounting to CHF 25,000 at most. The contribution can be used to cover all costs necessary for the realisation of the project (fees, administrative costs, costs for consulting and for targeted communication measures, etc.). No contributions will, however, be granted for infrastructure, equipment and operational costs or for the maintenance of digital formats. In the case of international collaboration projects, at least 50% of the artists and cultural practitioners (artists and curators, cultural researchers and cultural critics) must be Swiss or based in Switzerland. Not eligible for support in this context are projects that are primarily concerned with the production or performance of a work of art (work grant), PR projects, or journalistic research or reporting projects (leading to publication in print media or in digital format).
Conditions
For support to be granted, Pro Helvetia requires that a project
- has a connection to Switzerland;
- aims for public appeal and pursues and implements clearly defined targets in terms of impact;
- is not part of a school curriculum or a basic or advanced training or education course.
The jury responsible will assess whether the project
- is convincing in its multi-perspective and dialogue-oriented approach and its format;
- is coherent in terms of content and also target-group and impact oriented in terms of structure and implementation;
- has the potential to stimulate participatory and critical discussion at various social levels on topics of art and culture;
- has the ability to trigger in-depth debates on contemporary issues at the interface of arts and society.
Application deadline and decision timeline
Applications may be submitted between 29 November 2022 and 1 March 2023. Eligible for support are Swiss artists and cultural practitioners from all disciplines supported by Pro Helvetia. All applications must be submitted via myprohelvetia.ch. No retroactive contributions are granted to projects already underway. Projects may be presented to the public at the earliest four months after the application deadline of 1 March 2023. Applications will be assessed by a jury. Funding decisions will be communicated within four months of the application deadline (1 March 2023).
Application dossiers must contain
- Concept of content, form, goals and implementation of the project, including information on the networking purpose and the target audience; 5 pages (A4 format) at most and/or an interactive format (video, audio, etc.).
Please note: at the time of submission, the project application must be complete and contain the names and details of all the persons involved. - Description of the international cooperation provided the project has an international scope
- Information on the persons involved (CV, incl. description of task and role within the project, each individual’s contribution to the project and its relevance within the planned collaboration)
- Budget and financing plan (incl. detailed information on all financial support requested from third parties) and statement of the amount requested from Pro Helvetia. The maximum grant awarded by Pro Helvetia is CHF 25,000. Pro Helvetia’s contribution may not exceed 50% of the overall budget.
- Time schedule
- Further relevant documents (e.g. documentation of previously implemented projects, media reviews, etc.)
[Illustration: © Martin Heynen]
