FAQ - EFFEA

Eligibility

Who can apply?

All festivals (and cultural spaces, venues, foundations, associations if running festivals) working in one or more of the following artistic disciplines: Architecture, Ballet Contemporary Dance, Circus, Design/ Applied arts, Digital arts, Film, Folklore and folk arts, Heritage, Interdisciplinary, Literature, Music, Opera, Street Art, Theatre, Photography/ Video, Sculpture, Painting. The festivals exist for at least one edition and have their official address in one of the eligible countries. (See more details in the Call)

Leading festivals are free to collaborate with all art festivals even if they are not yet registered on FestivalFinder.eu. The festivals can register on FestivalFinder.eu before submitting their applications.
Are venues, foundations, associations, also eligible?

Those are also eligible to apply if theyorganise a festival.

We define a festival as:
- Its primary focus is on the development, presentation and/or participation in arts and culture
- Occurs in a defined area/ region and a defined period of time
- Exists for at least one edition. Note: It may be the first edition of the festival if it is an additional partner.
Are festivals from the same country allowed to apply for one residency together?

Discovery Residency: The partner festival should be registered in a country other than that of the leading festival. Any additional partner festivals (if more than one) can be from any eligible country.
Springboard Residency: Each of the two partner festivals must be registered in countries other than that of the leading festival. Any extra partner festivals (if more than two) can be from any eligible country.
What do we mean by emerging artists?

In this fund, emerging artists are not defined in terms of age, but rather by their novelty to programmers and festival audiences, their potential to ‘break through’ internationally and to impact the artistic field in their discipline(s): a chance such artists did not have before.

By artists, we mean: individual artists or companies of any size and artistic genre.
Is it necessary to pay for EFA membership in order to apply for EFFEA?

Being an EFA member is not a requirement to apply for EFFEA.

Timeline

EFFEA Call#1

Pre-announcement: 6 October 2022

Start online applications: 13 October 2022

Application deadline: 21 November 2022

Results announcement: January 2023

Implementation period: February 2023 – December 2023

Intake Seminar: 16 & 17 February 2023

Outtake Seminar: 21 November 2023
EFFEA Call#2

Pre-announcement: 29 March 2023

Start online applications: 13 April 2023

Application deadline: 19 June 2023

Results announcement: August 2023

Implementation period: September 2023 – August 2024

Intake Seminar: 12 September 2023

Outtake Seminar: 9 July 2024
EFFEA Call#3

Pre-announcement: 21 November 2023

Start online applications: 15 January 2024

Application deadline: 19 March 2024

Results announcement: May 2024

Implementation period: 1 June 2024 - 31 May 2025

Intake Seminar: 11 June 2024

Outtake Seminar: April 2025 (tbc)
Next Call

The next EFFEA call will be launched during the second half of 2025. It will support residency programmes that occur in 2026. More details will follow.
When can residencies begin and end?

The start and end date of the residency must fall within the grant period. The applicants are free to start earlier or end later as long as the costs related to the extension are not included in the budget submitted to EFFEA.

Festival Finder

Do all the festivals need to register on Festival Finder.eu?

Yes, both the leading festival and partner festivals need to register on FestivalFinder.eu.
FestivalFinder.eu is an online search tool that allows audiences to find arts festivals, from music to theatre, street arts to dance, literature, among others, in 45 countries across Europe. Before applying to EFFEA, FestivalFinder.eu can be used to explore and connect with other festivals.
Is it necessary to hold the EFFE Label to apply for EFFEA?

Even if holding the EFFE Label can be an added value, it is not mandatory. Festivals only need to register on FestivalFinder.eu.

Residency

What is the role of the partner festivals in the Discovery category?

The artist must present the work/work in progress at the leading festival. The workshop is hosted by the leading festival. The partner festivals are present, give feedback and act as mentors throughout the residency.
What is the role of the partner festivals in the Springboard category?

The artist must present the work in a minimum of 3 European stages (in the leading festival and a minimum of two other partners). The masterclass conducted by the artist takes place in the leading festival and a minimum of two partner festivals. The festival programmers are present, give feedback and act as mentors throughout the residency.
How long should be the residency?

There is no limit for the residency time. It can be a couple of weeks or months. The start and end date of the residency must fall within the grant period. The applicants are free to start earlier or end later as long as the costs related to the extension are not included in the budget submitted to EFFEA.
Can festivals apply as leading festivals more than one time?

A festival can apply for one grant as a leading festival and apply for multiple grants as a partner festival.
If an artist has received a Discovery grant in a prior EFFEA Call (EFFEA Call #1 or Call #2), they remain eligible and can be selected for a Springboard residency in Call #3.
A member of the jury may apply with their festival to one residency, either as a leading festival or a partner festival.
Who needs to sign the letter of intent?

The leading festival signs the letter of intent with two other partner festivals.
The leading festival signs the letter of intent with the artist/collective/group.
What is EFFEA Intake Seminar and EFFEA Outtake Seminar?

Online seminars with the selected artists and festival programmers.
Is it possible to apply with an already existing network project?

If the network project meets the requirements of this call, it should be perfectly possible.

Artists

Are emerging artists eligible for more than one EFFEA grant?

If an artist has received a Discovery grant in a prior EFFEA Call (EFFEA Call #1, #2 or #3), they remain eligible and can be selected for a Springboard residency in an upcoming call.
Artists selected for a Springboard residency in past EFFEA Calls are not eligible for consideration in future EFFEA calls.
Does the artist need to belong to a different country than the country from one of the 3 partner festivals?

The individuals involved as artists should have a nationality of or a residence address in one of the eligible countries.
How does an individual artist register to be part of a residency?

The grant application is submitted by the leading festival (by leading festival we mean: responsible for the application and our main contact for the residency). Artists are encouraged to explore and contact potential festival partners through FestivalFinder.eu.
Is there an age limitation for the artists that want to apply?

There is no age limitation for the artists in any of the two categories.

Financial

Is the leading festival responsible for the whole financial organisation? Or what is the expected structure for the financial collaboration?

Yes, the leading festival is responsible for the financial report but a letter of intent at the call level and a partnership contract will be signed between the different festivals if you are selected
Can we have a budget that includes costs not related to the artist residency?

Yes, you can, as long as the amount that you invest in the residency of the artist is minimum 8.800/16.500€
Are there any guidelines as to how the budget should be distributed between the leading and participating festivals?

Leading festivals determine how the budget is distributed, as per agreement with their partner festivals. The budget should follow what is proposed in the application. There is no percentage given about the division of it. It must show how the artist is supported in the best way. This can be very different project by project.
Why do we have to add 1600€ (Springboard) or 3000€ (Discovery) from our own to the budget?

The amount that you must add from your own budget is 20% of the grant value. Half of it is your minimum own investment in the residency of your artist and the other half is your contribution to the overall project.
Why do we have to contribute 800€/1500€ to the overall project?

The grant that EFA receives from the EC only covers 80% of the total budget. The remaining 20% is partly funded by EFA and its partners and partly by the selected applicants.
Is co-funding allowed?

Co-funding of 20% from the festival side is mandatory.
When will the grant be paid?

The grant will be disbursed in two instalments. The first instalment, which amounts to 70% of the grant, will be transferred to the leading festival upon receipt of the signed contract at the beginning of the residency. The second instalment will be transferred upon submission of the final report at the end of the residency period.

Other

Problem with login?

The 2 platforms FestivalFinder.eu and EFFEA are not linked at this moment. Your login on FestivalFinder.eu can not be used for EFFEA.

- On FestivalFinder.eu you already have an account or you create an account when creating for the first time your festival edition.
- On EFFEA you apply with the application form - the account is automatically created when you apply.