Connector is a project that launches mechanisms of non-formal education, in-country and regional collaboration, and instruments of support for young emerging artists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.  The project seeks to increase communication and collaboration between artists, identify and bridge gaps in the existing education system, and elevate the importance of art in shaping society.

art∡ngle in partnership with like-minded associates – organizations, groups, and individuals - is having the role of a catalyst in supporting the processes of mutual exchange and mentoring. art∡ngle will gradually transfer the ownership of the project to the young artists. 

Project Carriers are young artists willing to develop their artistic practice, while in the same time contribute in creative and innovative way to the development of the following segments of the Connector project:
• establishment of the online service platform for young artists
• creation of the mentorship program 
• initiation of the co-artistic creation between young artists
• creation of the public promotion of young artists
• initiation of the Fund for Young Artists

Students of art (visual art, music, performing arts, literature) in their final year of education and artists who have graduated between September 2012 and September 2015 are eligible to apply for the position of the Project Carrier.

Applicants are invited to send a short resume/biography, up to 3 links to their representative artistic works (personal websites, online portfolios, online video or music, etc.) and Motivation Letter (1 page) to connector@artanglebalkans.net 

The selection of the young artists is primarily based on the Motivation Letter which should cover the following three topics: what do I as young artist expect from the project; how do I see myself in the project and what does art mean to me.  Application deadline is September 15th 2015.

Connector is supported by Prince Claus Fund and art∡ngle.

Connector – Connecting and Empowering Young Balkans' Artists is designed to increase opportunities for young artists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. 

Connector’s main aim is to boost position, potentials and prospects of young artists. 
Project will strengthen the young artists’ career opportunities by:

• offering mechanisms and instruments of continued non-formal education,
  
• initiating artistic co-creation,
  
• establishing an artists’ service platform, 
  
• supporting public promotion of the young artists and
• launching the Fund for Young Artists.

art∡ngle in partnership with like-minded associates – organisations, groups, and individuals - is having the role of a catalyst in supporting the processes of mutual exchange and mentoring. art∡ngle will gradually transfer the ownership of the project to the young artists. 

The Call for young artists – project participants - will be announced in July 2015.

Connector is supported by Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development  and art∡ngle - Balkans | Culture | Development.

Balkans Arts and Culture Fund (BAC) supports contemporary collaborative arts and culture development projects (COLABs). COLABs should be conceived by organisations from and implemented within the region of the Western Balkans, specifically the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

BAC is aimed towards fostering inclusive, democratic, and prosperous societies in the Western Balkans by strengthening the cultural sector, and encouraging regional collaboration and integration. In this context, BAC aims to advance the independent cultural scene in the region by supporting authentic cultural production, encouraging participation, and raising capacities of cultural actors.

Independent cultural organisations, networks, foundations and/or associations are invited to submit ideas for Collaboration Projects in Arts and Culture – COLABs

Applications have to be made in collaboration of minimum two partners coming from two of the countries listed above. The applicant and at least one other implementing partner must be organisations from the focus countries. Additional partnerships with organisations from other European countries are welcome.

Collaboration projects should specifically contribute to the following:
·        Broadened accessibility of and participation in qualitative, innovative, engaging culture programmes
·        Increased collaboration and long term partnerships between independent cultural organisations in the region
·        Increased inter-sectorial collaboration
·        Increased capacities of independent cultural actors

Information on general and specific conditions, criteria and processes is available in the 2015 Call Guidelines. The Guidelines as well as the application form can be downloaded from the Downloads  page on the BAC website. For questions regarding the call please consult the COLABs Q&A page. If your question not addressed there, write to bac@artanglebalkans.net

Submission and deadline: duly completed project idea form and the statement on partnership should be submitted through our website at the Submission page,  not later than on Sunday, September 6, 2015, 24:00 CET. Submissions in incorrect form, delayed or incomplete, and any additional material will not be considered.

Selection: All applicants will be informed about selection results by the beginning of November 2015.  

Grant amount, start-up date and duration: Maximum grant amount available per project is 50’000 Euros.  Awarded COLAB projects are expected to start implementation earliest on January 1, 2016 and have to be finalized latest by December 31, 2017. Envisaged project duration is up to 24 months.

Balkans Art and Culture Fund (BAC) and the partnership between the Swiss Government, the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) and art∡ngle, were presented last Tuesday at the Art Gallery in Sarajevo. Large number of partner organisations, networks and artists from the entire region participated in the event, in addition to representatives of international organisations and missions, and the media. Seven regional collaboration projects (COLABs) selected on the basis of an open competition were promoted on that occasion. 

Highlighting the fact that the European Cultural Foundation has been present in the Balkans region for the past fifteen years, where together with the local actors they worked on bridging people, investing into culture, connecting and catalysing cultural initiatives, director Katherine Watson expressed her content with the fast-growing Balkans Art and Culture Fund. “We are very pleased that through the Fund and thanks to the significant and invaluable contribution of the Swiss Government, we will continue to support the important work of cultural actors across the region “, highlighted Watson, adding that strong linkages between the communities across the region are vital to ensure a vibrant, engaged and sustainable civil society. 

Director of Cooperation of the Swiss Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Joseph Guntern, explained that the main reason for supporting BAC is because they believe in creativity of artists and cultural workers in the Western Balkans countries. “Independent artistic expression and cultural work are leading driving forces of societies in building up democracy, security and prosperity for the people in strictly future oriented way”, said Guntern.

BAC team was particularly content for the inspiring exchanges with the cultural actors from the region that took part at the margins of the event.

Photo, video credits: Amer Kapetanovic

After two stage selection process, the following 7 project ideas have been selected for support through the COLABs granting line:

ZOOM! REGION
Partners: The Foundation of the Museum of Contemporary Arts Belgrade, RS;  URBAN, Sarajevo, BA; Multimedia Cultural Centre, Split, HR; PUNKT, Podgorica, ME; Volunteers Centre Skopje, MK

ACT4CITY Independent cultural actors towards sustainable Balkan cities
Partners: EXPEDITIO, Kotor, ME; MikroArt (Ministry of Space), Belgrade, RS; City Creative Network (CCN), Skopje, MK; Art Workshop Lazareti, Dubrovnik, HR

From diaspora to diversities - Transformative action for diasporic art&cultural diversity management
Partners: Esperanza-World Culture Center, Skopje, MK; Remont – Independent Artistic Association, Belgrade, RS; KunstOst, Graz, AT; Oracle network of European cultural managers, Brussels, BE

New Spark Jazz Orchestra- Balkan Women in Jazz
Partners: Citizen Association- cooperation ARTRUST, Subotica, RS; Faculty of Music, University Goce Delchev - Stip, MK; Music School Tivat, ME; Big Band Krsko, SI; Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica, Fiuggi Città, IT

CIRKOBALKANA
Partners: CIRKUSFERA, Belgrade, RS; Association Cirkorama, Zagreb, HR; Association APPEL D'AIR/Circus school TURBUL', Nimes, FR; Fabrika Radosti, Banja Luka, BA

IF  BUILDINGS COULD TALK
Partners: FRU - Faculty of things that can’t be learned, Bitola, MK; Shadow casters, Zagreb, HR; Supervizuelna, Belgrade, RS

Inappropriate Monuments
Partners: Grupa arhitekata (GA), Belgrade, RS; Social Fringe: Interesting Untold Stories (SF:ius), Zagreb, HR; Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, BA; Museum of Modern Art / Moderna Galerija (MG-MSUM), Ljubljana, SI

The selected projects will be further assisted in developing the final project proposals, and are expected to start with realization in summer.

art∡ngle is happy to share the development within the Balkans Arts and Culture Fund, made possible through the partnership agreement, concluded between the Swiss Government and the European Cultural Foundation on contribution to BAC, in the period of the next two years. 

On the occasion of marking this new stage in the Balkans Arts and Culture Fund, art∡ngle, in collaboration with the Swiss Embassy to BiH and European Cultural Foundation is organizing the public launch on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 11.59 h, at the National Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo.

The COLABs projects, to be selected on 23rd of February, will be publically promoted at the Launch. In addition, the partners of BAC will present two from ongoing BAC-funded projects: Generator and IAAU.

Upon the assessment of eligible submissions, we are pleased to inform that 22 project ideas have been pre-selected to the second evaluation stage. In total, 121 applications were received within the BAC 2014.2 Call for COLAB projects, and amongst these there were 73 eligible ones. 

The second evaluation stage is conducted independently by external advisors and BAC. The selection results, endorsed by the BAC Steering Committee, will be published by the end of February.

We would, once again, like to thank all applicants and their partners for submissions!

Following is the list of preselected projects:

02/14.2
“To violate or not - that is not the question!” – regional collaboration project
Partners: Grupa „Hajde da…“ – Group „Let’s…“, Belgrade, RS; 
National Network to End Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, Skopje, MK; Youth in Free Initiative, Kukes, AL; Creative Center – INTEGRATION, INCLUSION, TOLERANCE, Trebinje, BA

15/14.2
Urban Art Actions
Partners: Contemporary Art Center Skopje, MK; PROAKTIV, Nish, RS; ATTA  Academy for  Training and Technical Assistance, Prizren, KS

16/14.2
Design Biotop Balkan - Data and Creativity for Societal Impact
Partners: Balkan Urban Movement, Belgrade, RS; Organisation for cultural collaboration Interkultura, Skopje, MK; YouthBuild Inc, Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brcko, BA; Kosova Young Lawyers, Prishtina, RS; Tretaroka, Ljubljana, SI; Edukativni Centar ABC Bijelo Polje, ME

18/14.2
ZOOM! REGION
Partners: The Foundation of the Museum of Contemporary Arts Belgrade, RS;  URBAN, Sarajevo, BA; Multimedia Cultural Centre, Split, HR; PUNKT, Podgorica, ME; Volunteers Centre Skopje, MK

28/14.2
Urban Youth of the Balkans
Partners: Club for Youth Empowerment 018, Nish, RS; SPPMD, Kavadarci, MK; Youth organization DVOC, Donji Vakuf, BA

30/14.2
Balkan Fantasy Literature Network  (BFLN) 
Partners: Academy of Social Sciences (AOSS), Bijelo Polje, ME; Punkt - The Movement for Improvement and Affirmation of Science, Culture and IT in Serbia, Belgrade, RS; Zenica City Museum, BA; Association Albus, Pazin, HR; Radio Bijelo Polje, ME

36/14.2
The Fortress
Partners: DIS Youth Theatre, Banja Luka, BA; Centre for cultural decontamination Bitola, MK; Regional Creative Atelier, Kanjiža, RS; AteliercuncheoNresearchtheatre, Cerete, IT

39/14.2
ACT4CITY Independent cultural actors towards sustainable Balkan cities
Partners: EXPEDITIO, Kotor, ME; MikroArt (Ministry of Space), Belgrade, RS; City Creative Network (CCN), Skopje, MK; Art Workshop Lazareti, Dubrovnik, HR

49/14.2
From diaspora to diversities - Transformative action for diasporic art&cultural diversity management
Partners: Esperanza-World Culture Center, Skopje, MK; Remont – Independent Artistic Association, Belgrade, RS; KunstOst, Graz, AT; Oracle network of European cultural managers, Brussels, BE

58/14.2
New Spark Jazz Orchestra- Balkan Women in Jazz
Partners: Citizen Association- cooperation ARTRUST, Subotica, RS; Faculty of Music, University Goce Delchev - Stip, MK; Music School Tivat, ME; Big Band Krsko, SI; Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica, Fiuggi Città, IT

59/14.2
BAPS - Balkan Art in Public Space
Partners:  ODA, Prishtina, KS; Kontakt - Association for Development and Research of Performing Arts in B&H, Sarajevo, BA

62/14.2
CIRKOBALKANA
Partners: CIRKUSFERA, Belgrade, RS; Association Cirkorama, Zagreb, HR; Association APPEL D'AIR/Circus school TURBUL', Nimes, FR; Fabrika Radosti, Banja Luka, BA

70/14.2
Undoing the Provincial: Staging Communities-to-Come
Partners: Research Center for Cultures, Politics and Identities (IPAK.Center), Belgrade, RS; Kontrapunkt, Skopje, MK

80/14.2
I create art, therefore I am 
Partners: CURE Foundation, Sarajevo, BA; IMPULS, Tutin, RS; ANIMA – Centre for women’s and peace education, Kotor, ME

84/14.2
Creating public spaces that foster culture and play
Partners: Belgrade Flower Festival, RS; Arch Commune – Centre for Architecture and Culture, Podgorica, ME; Center For Environment, Banja Luka, BA; Kompresor, Skopje, MK

87/14.2
IF  BUILDINGS COULD TALK
Partners: FRU - Faculty of things that can’t be learned, Bitola, MK; Shadow casters, Zagreb, HR; Supervizuelna, Belgrade, RS

93/14.2
Artist – For Good Causes
Partners: Liceulice, Belgrade, RS; Sinestezija, Herceg Novi, ME; Ink Fest, Novi Sad, RS; Tacka komunikacije, Belgrade, RS

94/14.2
Inappropriate Monuments
Partners: Grupa arhitekata (GA), Belgrade, RS; Social Fringe: Interesting Untold Stories (SF:ius), Zagreb, HR; Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, BA; Museum of Modern Art / Moderna Galerija (MG-MSUM), Ljubljana, SI

97/14.2
Production of the Common
Partners: Youth Centre CK13, Novi Sad, RS; Association of Independent Creators and Activists Geto, Banja Luka, BA; Autonomous Cultural Centre, Zagreb, HR

99/14.2
Balkan Raw
Partners: Belgrade Raw, RS; Urban Nova, Herceg Novi, ME; Peace Academy, Sarajevo, BA; GaleRica, Makarska, HR

107/14.2
From collectivity to participatory art practices
Partners: KURS, Belgrade, RS; ARTikl, Belgrade, RS; Center for Contemporary Arts CELEIA, Celje, SI; Kulturno umjetničko društvo INA – Galerija Miroslav Kraljević, Zagreb, HR; 7 Arte, Mitrovice, KS

118/14.2
VARESO AVER – Something different
Partners: Children center “Little Prince” (LP), Belgrade, RS; Roma youth initiative “Be my friend”, Visoko, BA; Young Roma, Podgorica, ME

As of Monday, January 26th, 2015 the 2014.2 Call for Collaboration Projects - COLABs has been closed.
We thank everyone who have submitted their project ideas. We  have received 120 submissions. All applicants will be informed about selection results by mid-March 2015.  

BAC is offering "Skype Open Hours" related to the ongoing COLABs Call with deadline for handing in applications on Sunday, January 25th.
In case you would like individual assistance via Skype and have any last minute questions, we are available for you on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (January 20-22) between 10.00 and 17.00.
Please send an invitation request to the Skype name - bac.fund prior to sending your questions or calling. We will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Balkans Arts and Culture Fund (BAC) supports contemporary collaborative arts and culture development projects (COLABs). COLABs should be conceived by organisations from and implemented within the region of the Western Balkans, specifically the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

BAC is aimed towards fostering inclusive, democratic, and prosperous societies in the Western Balkans by strengthening the cultural sector, and encouraging regional collaboration and integration. In this context, BAC aims to advance the independent cultural scene in the region by supporting authentic cultural production, encouraging participation, and raising capacities of cultural actors.

Independent cultural organisations, networks, foundations and/or associations are invited to submit ideas for Collaboration Projects in Arts and Culture - COLABs

Applications have to be made in collaboration of minimum two partners coming from two of the countries listed above. Additional partnerships with organisations from other European countries are welcome. The applicant and at least one other implementing partner must be organisations from the focus countries.

Collaboration projects should specifically contribute to the following:

• Broadened accessibility of and participation in quality, innovative, engaging culture programmes
  
• Increased collaboration and long term partnerships between independent cultural organisations in the region
  
• Increased inter-sectoral collaboration
  
• Increased capacities of independent cultural actors 
  

Information on general and specific conditions, criteria and processes is available in the 2014.2 Call Guidelines. The Guidelines as well as the application form can be downloaded from our Downloads page. Address all questions regarding the call to bac@artanglebalkans.net 

Submission and deadline: duly completed project idea form and the statement on partnership should be submitted through our website at the Submission page  not later than on Sunday, January 25, 2015, 24:00 CET. Submissions in incorrect form, delayed or incomplete, and any additional material will not be considered. 

Selection: All applicants will be informed about selection results by mid-March 2015.  

Grant amount, start-up date and duration: Maximum grant amount available per project is 50’000 Euros. Awarded COLAB projects are expected to start implementation earliest on June 1, 2015. Envisaged project duration is up to 24 months.