Culture Helps Solidarity: Open Call for Collaboration grants — first round, January-March 2026

Culture Helps Solidarity supports arts and culture professionals from Ukraine to sustain creativity, resilience, and community connection during and after the war. Running until 2028, it combines three grant schemes (individual grants, thematic project grants and collaboration grants) and a rich programme of mentoring, learning, and peer exchange. Culture Helps Solidarity is co-financed by the EU through Creative Europe and implemented by the European Cultural Foundation (Amsterdam) with Insha Osvita (Kyiv), zusa (Berlin), and the VETERANKA Movement (Kyiv).

This open call is the first of two calls for proposals for collaboration grants. At least 15 international projects will be awarded in each round. It offers EUR 20.000 to EUR 30.000 for crossborder cultural collaborations that aim to improve access to culture and to support the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in/from Ukraine into their host communities, with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as veterans.

 What are we looking for?

This call for proposals seeks to support collaborative projects between at least two organisations in Ukraine and Creative Europe countries respectively, that work with culture to improve access to cultural participation and support the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees into their host communities – with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as veterans, and their mental well-being.

It prioritises partnerships between Ukrainian-led organisations, whether based in Ukraine or operating in exile, and non-Ukrainian organisations, especially from neighboring Creative Europe countries.

Through these collaborations, the call aims to foster:

cross-border networking, the exchange of professional experience and good practices,
stronger capacities for intercultural dialogue and mental health support, and
the professional development of cultural managers in line with EU standards,

while highlighting a culture of solidarity in shaping a European future for Ukraine.

What do we offer? 

The Fund has grants available in two amounts:

up to €20.000 for partnerships of two organisations;
up to €30.000 for partnerships of three or more organisations.

Up to 9 grants are available in each category. Applicants must clearly indicate in their applications which grant amount they are applying for.

Grants can cover a large variety of costs including production costs, marketing and advertising costs, rental and running costs for studios and cultural venues, IT, communication and production tools and materials, and – upon special request and where appropriate (e.g. when lost/destroyed) – purchase of other goods, means, or services necessary for the implementation and execution of the project.

Grants can also be used to cover travel costs, expert fees, artists’ honoraria, legal services, staff- and operational costs. However, these amounts must all be proportionate and justifiable.

Although co-financing is not mandatory, it is recommended that the grant is used to cover a maximum of 80% of the total project budget.

The project timeline may be up to 12 months. Activities related to the project may not take place before the start date (1 June 2026).

The submission deadline for proposals is Tuesday, 31st March 2026, 13:00 Amsterdam time/ 14:00 Kyiv time.

In search of a project partner? Join our online matchmaking event and platform!

We are offering a digital matchmaking platform and an online matchmaking event and info session for organisations interested in applying and in search of suitable partners. Registered applicants will be invited to create their digital profiles before the event highlighting their main interests and needs in relation to the call. At the online event, participants will have the opportunity to attend different info and networking sessions and move to one-on-one exchanges on the details of the partnership. We invite you to look out for further announcements and the link to register on our website and social media channels.

The online event will take place on Thursday, 19th February 2026 at 14:00 Amsterdam time/ 15:00 Kyiv time.  We invite you to look out for further announcements and the link to register on our website and social media channels.

Eligibility criteria:

Applications must be submitted in English and must include a complete application form and budget;
Applicants must be above 18 years old and must demonstrate a sufficient level of English to work and communicate effectively in English;
The call is open to collaborations of at least two organisations, with the lead applicant submitting the proposal, and entering into a grant agreement in case the proposal is selected;
At least one partner must be a civic, public or private (private organisations must have a non-commercial status and must be able to prove the project’s charitable status) organisation with a legal status in Ukraine, –active in Ukraine or in exile and operating in the cultural, creative or civil sector;
At least one partner must be a civic, public or private organisation with a legal status and active in one of the Creative Europe countries, and operating in the cultural, creative or civil sector;
At least one partner must be a cultural organisation and/or actively working with on the integration of displaced persons or refugees from Ukraine into their new living environments and professional realities and communities – veterans in particular;
The proposed project must not receive funding from any other Creative Europe scheme;
Proposals submitted by political parties will not be considered;
Strictly humanitarian initiatives or individual requests for cost-of living support will not be considered.

Selection criteria and process:

Relevance to the overall theme and objectives of the call – Does the project work with arts and culture to improve access to cultural participation and support the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees into host communities? Does it have a particular focus on vulnerable groups such as veterans and their mental well-being through culture?
Quality of partnership – Does the proposal convincingly demonstrate the partners’ capacities, complementarities between organisations and motivation to collaborate?
Authenticity and experimentation – Does the proposal or the constellation of partners present an authentic and fresh approach?
Feasibility and implementation potential – Does the proposal demonstrate a convincing feasibility and implementation potential, including a balanced and realistic budget?
Impact – Does the proposal demonstrate how it will have a positive impact on the communities addressed? Does it demonstrate a vision for the partnership beyond the project period, and how it will contribute to building long-term cultural relations between the Ukraine and Creative Europe countries and to the broader issues of the European integration of Ukraine?
Sustainability – Does the proposal embody a convincing understanding of environmental sustainability, fair and green transition and the ecological impact of war in particular?

Following an eligibility check, applications will be assessed by a team of internal and external experts from a wide range of geographic, cultural and professional areas. Up to 9 projects from each grant category will be selected for support. 

As part of the grant, awarded partnerships will receive one-on-one mentoring support, will participate in online webinars and community calls as well as one in-person networking meeting. These in-kind support activities are an integral part of the grant, participation in them is therefore compulsory.

Timeline 

22 January 2026 call for proposals open
19 February 2026 info session & matchmaking event
31 March 2026 call closed
End of May 2026 proposals assessed and selected
1 June 2026 start date of selected projects
Autumn 2026 in-person networking event (date TBC)
31 May 2027 end date of selected projects
30 June 2027 submission deadline for final reports

How to apply?

You can find more information -including the budget template- and submit your application via this link: https://culture-of-solidarity-fund.grantplatform.com/.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop their proposals through human expertise, critical thinking, and artistic or professional judgment. Proposals that rely primarily on AI-generated content or concepts are discouraged and may be given lower priority in the assessment process.

Should you have further questions, please contact us at chs@culturalfoundation.eu.

The “Culture Helps Solidarity / Культура допомагає: Солідарність” is a project co-funded by the EU Creative Europe Programme and implemented by the European Cultural Foundation (NL), Insha Osvita (UA), zusa (DE) and VETERANKA Movement (UA).