Culture Helps Solidarity Collaboration Grants Program

Deadline: 31-Mar-2026

Culture Helps Solidarity provides grants up to €30,000 to support collaborative arts and culture projects led by Ukrainian organisations and Creative Europe partners. Funding promotes creativity, resilience, integration of displaced persons, intercultural dialogue, and professional development through projects lasting up to 12 months.

Overview of Culture Helps Solidarity

The Culture Helps Solidarity initiative supports arts and culture professionals from Ukraine to sustain creativity, resilience, and community connection during and after the war. The programme combines three grant schemes with mentoring, learning, and peer-exchange opportunities to strengthen cross-border collaboration, cultural participation, and solidarity in shaping Ukraine’s European future.

Focus Areas and Objectives

This funding opportunity prioritizes projects that:

• Support collaborative cultural initiatives between Ukrainian and Creative Europe organisations

• Improve access to cultural participation for communities, including refugees and internally displaced persons

• Support integration of displaced persons and vulnerable groups, including veterans and mental well-being initiatives

• Foster cross-border networking and professional exchange

• Strengthen intercultural dialogue, cultural management skills, and mental health support capacities

• Promote a culture of solidarity and resilience in Ukraine’s European integration

Funding Details

• Grant Amounts:

  • Up to €20,000 for partnerships involving two organisations

  • Up to €30,000 for partnerships involving three or more organisations

• Number of Grants: Up to nine grants per funding category per call

• Eligible Costs: Production, marketing, venue expenses, IT and communications tools, travel, expert fees, artists’ honoraria, legal services, and staff/operational costs (proportionate and justified)

• Project Duration: Up to 12 months, starting no earlier than 1 June 2026

• Co-financing: Optional, encouraged up to 80% of total project budget

Who Is Eligible?

• Collaborative projects of at least two organisations, including:

  • One legally registered organisation active in Ukraine

  • One legally registered organisation based in a Creative Europe country

• Partners must operate in the cultural, creative, or civil sectors and actively engage in:

  • Cultural initiatives

  • Integration or support of displaced persons/refugees from Ukraine

• Ineligible applications: Political party submissions, purely humanitarian projects, or individual cost-of-living requests

How to Apply / How It Works

1. Form Partnerships: Build a consortium with at least two eligible organisations

2. Prepare Proposal: Include project objectives, activities, expected outcomes, budget justification, and alignment with funding priorities

3. Submit Application: Applications must be submitted in English via the official call

4. Assessment: Proposals evaluated on collaboration quality, impact, cultural relevance, inclusion, and sustainability

5. Grant Award: Selected projects receive funding up to €30,000, with implementation starting no earlier than 1 June 2026

6. Project Implementation: Execute project activities, manage budget, and report outcomes to demonstrate impact, inclusion, and professional growth

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying without a Ukrainian-registered organisation in the partnership

• Submitting non-collaborative or individual projects

• Including activities outside the cultural, creative, or civil sectors

• Requesting funds for political or strictly humanitarian purposes

• Failing to justify eligible costs or provide proportionate budget allocations

Why This Grant Matters

• Strengthens Ukrainian arts and culture during and after the conflict

• Promotes integration and well-being of displaced persons and vulnerable groups

• Encourages cross-border cultural exchange and professional development

• Builds resilience, solidarity, and intercultural dialogue within European cultural networks

• Provides long-term support for sustainable and impactful collaborative projects

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who can apply? Collaborative projects involving at least one Ukrainian-registered organisation and one Creative Europe-based organisation in the cultural, creative, or civil sectors.
2. What is the maximum grant amount? €20,000 for two-organisation partnerships; €30,000 for three or more organisations.
3. What are eligible project costs? Production, marketing, venues, IT, travel, expert fees, artists’ honoraria, legal services, and staff/operational costs.
4. Can projects be humanitarian in nature? No, strictly humanitarian initiatives are ineligible.
5. How long can projects run? Up to 12 months, starting no earlier than 1 June 2026.
6. Is co-financing required? No, but applicants are encouraged to use grants for up to 80% of the project budget.
7. Are individual applications accepted? No, applications must be collaborative and involve legally registered organisations.

Conclusion

Culture Helps Solidarity empowers Ukrainian arts and culture organisations to sustain creativity, foster resilience, and strengthen cross-border collaboration. By supporting projects that integrate vulnerable groups, enhance cultural participation, and build professional capacity, the programme promotes a solidarity-driven European cultural future for Ukraine.

For more information, visit Culture Helps Solidarity.