European funding
Funding made available through the European Union is, not surprisingly, a complicated process and can appear intimidating. However, there are some clear elements to consider and there are organisations that will help with the process.
EU Cultural Contact Point has been appointed by the UK Department for Culture, Media & Sport and the European Commission as the official contact point, in particular to promote the EU’s funding programmes for culture.
EUCLID provides a range of European & international information, research & consultancy services.
Structural Funds
Structural funds are geographically specific and are decided in the country of application. If you are in the highland region of Scotland look at Highlands and Islands (Scotland) Structural Funds Partnership Ltd (HIPP). Organisations in the lowlands can look at ESEP Ltd for further details on what is covered and how to apply.
Trans-national Funds
Trans-national funds are ambitious grants which are pan-European in focus. The project needs to involve at least three countries, for small to medium sized grants and will be decided centrally. EUCLID will help with these applications, more details on their culture website.
In addition to large projects, smaller grants for cultural exchanges can be funded through a trans-national fund, a specific website has been set up to help with this by ECOTEC.