ZMINA:Resilience. First call for co-creation funding of international cooperation projects

ZMINA:Resilience (Creative Europe co-funded) is issuing a first call for co-creation international cooperation projects focused on resilience, requiring consortia including at least one Ukrainian organisation and at least one partner from another Creative Europe participating country. The call has a total budget of €187,500 with individual grants up to €25,000 covering up to 90% of eligible costs and a mandatory minimum 10% cash co‑financing from partners. Projects must include public presentations in the locality of each partner (minimum one in Ukraine and one in the international partner’s country), run for up to seven months, and exclude audiovisual production. Applications must be submitted in English in a single-stage via the IZOLYATSIA online platform by 10 May 2026 (23:59 Kyiv time).

What it funds

Co-creation and presentation of new international artistic/cultural works on the topic of resilience (all creative sectors except audio-visual). Each project must deliver public presentations in the locality of every participating partner, including at least one in Ukraine.

Budget and grant size:Total pot €187,500; individual sub-grants up to €25,000 covering up to 90% of total eligible project costs. Expected number of awards 7–10. 70% paid after contract signature, 30% after final report. Co-financing minimum 10% required ¹

Who can apply

Legal entities (organisations) active in arts and culture and registered in a Creative Europe participating country. Each project must include at least two organisational partners from two countries, one of which must be Ukraine. Ukrainian partners must be registered in territory effectively controlled by the Ukrainian government.

Key administrative facts

1. 1Call opens: 10 March 2026; deadline: 10 May 2026 (23:59 Kyiv time).
2. 2Project duration: up to 7 months (implementation after grant signature).
3. 3Application language: English; submission via IZOLYATSIA online platform by the Lead Applicant.
4. 4Eligible costs include artist fees (€75/artist/day), travel, accommodation (€75/night), per diems, shipping, equipment depreciation, services and communication; management costs max 20% of budget.
5. 5Technical eligibility and required documents (registration extracts, statutes, Letter of Guarantee per partner) must be uploaded as PDFs following templates.

Selection:technical check, two independent expert evaluations, and final Selection Committee decision with attention to geographic, sectoral and thematic diversity. Budgets will be reviewed for cost-effectiveness and may be adjusted before signing.

Support and contact:Weekly Q&A Zoom sessions, FAQ and templates available on the application platform; helpline hi@zmina.eu (response within 2 working days) ¹

Apply on the IZOLYATSIA platform before 10 May 2026; lead organisation submits the full package on behalf of the consortium. Full call text, templates and model subgrant agreement are on the platform ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Application portal and call materials: IZOLYATSIA platform

ZMINA:Resilience is a cascade funding scheme co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and implemented by IZOLYATSIA Foundation (Ukraine), Malý Berlín (Slovakia), and Trans Europe Halles (Sweden). The call supports international co-creation projects on the topic of resilience across cultural and artistic disciplines, explicitly excluding the audiovisual sector. Projects must be co-developed and publicly presented in each partner’s locality, with a mandatory presence in Ukraine and in at least one other Creative Europe participating country.

Who can apply and what is required

Eligible applicants are legal entities active in the arts and culture sector and established in Creative Europe participating countries, including EU and non-EU countries. Individuals and sole proprietors cannot apply directly; they may participate through an eligible organization. Ukrainian partners must be registered in territories effectively controlled by the Government of Ukraine. Each project must have at least two partners from at least two countries, and one partner must be from Ukraine. Partnerships must demonstrate genuine co-creation with balanced roles and shared responsibilities across creative development, management, and audience engagement.

• Minimum consortium: at least two partners in at least two Creative Europe participating countries, including one Ukrainian organization.
• Sectors: all cultural and artistic sectors are eligible except audiovisual.
• Mandatory public presentations: at least one event in each partner’s locality; minimum one in Ukraine and minimum one in the partner’s country. The Ukrainian presentation may be hybrid/online if required by security conditions.
• Language: Applications must be submitted in English.
• Eligibility exclusions: entities subject to EU restrictive measures and other ineligible statuses per Creative Europe rules are not eligible in any capacity.

Budget, funding conditions, and eligible costs

Grants of up to €25,000 per project cover up to 90% of total eligible costs. Beneficiaries must provide at least 10% co-financing in cash. Disbursement occurs in two tranches: 70% after grant signature and 30% upon approval of final reporting. Double EU funding is prohibited. All costs must be incurred after grant signature and within the implementation period. EU visibility and branding rules apply. The final grant amount may combine lump-sum units and actual costs following a cost-effectiveness and plausibility review.

• Artists’ time: €75 per artist per day.
• International travel: €350 per return trip.
• Local travel: €65 per return trip.
• Green travel support: €300 for one-way journeys over 600 km not by air.
• Accommodation and per diem: €75 per overnight.
• Visa costs: €80 if needed.
• Shipping/transport including insurance: at cost.
• Supplies and equipment: at cost for depreciation only.
• Implementation services (production, equipment and venue rental, etc.): at cost.
• Communication, marketing, documentation: at cost.
• Management and administration: capped at 20% of the overall budget.

Application package, process, and timeline

Applications must be submitted via the IZOLYATSIA platform by the lead applicant no later than 10 May 2026, 23:59 Kyiv time. The package consists of an online application form, an online budget, and compulsory supporting documents uploaded in PDF for each partner. Standard templates and a Subgrant Agreement template are available on the portal. During the application window, applicants can access an email helpline and weekly online consultations.

• Submission portal: IZOLYATSIA platform ZMINA:Resilience application portal.
• Lead applicant: submits on behalf of the consortium.
• Mandatory uploads for each partner: Letter of Guarantee (template provided), registration documents, and current Statutes/Articles; English translations are required for non-English documents for non-Ukrainian partners. For Ukrainian partners, official extracts must be in original language.
• Technical admissibility: complete form, required attachments uploaded as separate files using the call templates, readability and accessibility of files, budget within limits, co-financing meets minimum threshold, timeline within limits, and partner registrations meeting call conditions.
• Support: weekly Zoom group Q&A every Tuesday at 10:00 CET and email helpline hi@zmina.eu; FAQs and additional materials available on the platform Weekly consultations.

1. 1Launch of the call: March 2026.
2. 2Deadline: 10 May 2026 (23:59 Kyiv; 22:59 Brussels).
3. 3Evaluation: May 2026.
4. 4Results: June 2026.
5. 5Grant agreements: July 2026.
6. 6Implementation: July 2026 to January 2027.
7. 7Maximum project duration: up to 7 months from grant signature.

Evaluation: criteria and procedure

Submissions pass through a three-step evaluation:a technical eligibility check by the ZMINA:Resilience team; independent expert review by two evaluators per application; and final selection by a Selection Committee considering scores alongside geographical, sectoral, and thematic diversity within the available budget. Budgets are scrutinized for plausibility and value for money and may be adjusted before grant contract signature. The final grant calculation may apply lump-sum units together with actual costs.

• Relevance: alignment with the call’s objectives and capacity of the co-creation to foster intercultural dialogue.
• Quality: addressing cross-cutting issues (digital, green, inclusion) and ensuring barrier-free access; partnership balance and role equality; scale of engagement including anticipated audience size and number of local presentations.
• Impact: expected impact and sustainability, including plans and potential for future presentations beyond the funding period.

Intellectual property and revenue

Partners retain ownership of the project results they create. However, the ZMINA:Resilience partners and the European Union as granting authority must receive a licence to use produced works and related materials for policy, information, communication, dissemination, and publicity purposes, including reproduction, public communication, secondary and derivative use, as directed by the programme. Projects may generate income such as ticket sales; any such income must be reinvested into the project and duly reflected in the budget and reporting.

Key links

• EU Funding & Tenders listing for the call EU Funding & Tenders Portal item.
• Programme implementation page and application portal Application portal and guidelines.
• About the ZMINA:Resilience project ZMINA website.
• Creative Europe list of participating countries (reference) CREA participating countries list (V10.0).

Categorization and structured extraction

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible applicants are legal entities in the cultural and creative sectors established in Creative Europe participating countries. This includes nonprofits and NGOs, cultural organizations, public institutions, municipalities or publicly funded cultural bodies, private companies active in culture and creative industries, cultural foundations, and similar legal entities. Individual artists, sole proprietors, or natural persons cannot be direct applicants; they may participate as team members or via a sponsoring eligible organization.

Funding Type:Grant provided as cascade funding (subgrants) under the Creative Europe Programme. Disbursement is milestone-based with a pre-financing tranche and a balance payment upon approved reporting.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required. Minimum two partners from at least two Creative Europe participating countries, including at least one Ukrainian organization. The partnership must demonstrate equal and balanced contributions in creation, management, and audience development.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Organizations registered in Creative Europe participating countries are eligible, encompassing EU Member States and eligible non-EU participating countries. Ukrainian partners must be registered in territories effectively controlled by the Government of Ukraine. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible.

Target Sector:Cultural and creative sectors across disciplines such as performing arts, visual arts, literature, music, design, heritage, and cross-disciplinary cultural projects. The audiovisual sector is explicitly excluded. Projects should integrate or thoughtfully address cross-cutting themes of digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and inclusion, ensuring barrier-free access to results.

Mentioned Countries:Ukraine, Slovakia, Sweden. Additionally, the Creative Europe participating countries reference lists the following non-EU participating countries: Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Tunisia.

Project Stage:Development and presentation. The call funds the co-creation of new cultural works or significant re-imaginings, leading to public showcases in each partner’s locality. It is not intended for projects that are already completed and only seeking international showcasing.

Funding Amount:Up to €25,000 per project, covering up to 90% of total eligible costs, with a total call budget of €187,500 and an expected 7–10 awards.

Application Type:Open call with single-stage submission via the IZOLYATSIA online platform. Lead applicants submit on behalf of the consortium.

Nature of Support:Monetary grants complemented by non-monetary support such as weekly group Q&A consultations, a helpline, FAQs, and standard templates to guide applicants through implementation and reporting.

Application Stages:Single-stage application submission. Evaluation comprises three procedural stages: 1) technical eligibility check, 2) external expert evaluation by two independent reviewers, 3) final selection by a Selection Committee considering diversity and budget availability.

Success Rates:Not specified. The call indicates an expected 7–10 grants but does not provide statistics on the ratio of funded to submitted proposals.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. At least 10% of the total project budget must be provided as cash co-financing by the partners. In-kind contributions do not count toward this minimum. Co-financing may be split between partners by mutual agreement and must be reflected in accounting records.

Templates:Standard templates are provided on the IZOLYATSIA platform. Applicants must use the platform’s application form and budget modules and upload required partner documents using the provided templates. The Subgrant Agreement template is also provided. Based on the call documentation, applicants should prepare: 1) Online application form entries covering project summary, objectives related to resilience, co-creation methodology, cross-cutting issues (digital, green, inclusion), partnership roles and balance, audiences and accessibility, implementation plan and timeline, mandatory presentations planning in each partner’s locality, impact and sustainability plans, and risk management including security considerations; 2) Online budget detailing eligible unit costs and at-cost lines, with clear allocation per partner and alignment with activities, inclusion of mandatory co-financing, and coverage of required presentation events in Ukraine and the partner country; 3) Letter of Guarantee for each partner, signed by the head of the organization, using the platform’s template; 4) Registration documents for each partner: for non-Ukrainian partners, national registration documents with English translation if not issued in English; for Ukrainian partners, a Full Extract from the Unified State Register in original language dated after the open call publication; 5) Current Statutes/Articles of Association (all pages) for each partner; for non-Ukrainian partners, include English translations if applicable. All uploads must be separate PDFs, readable and accessible, following the platform’s file format rules.

Comprehensive summary

This opportunity is a Creative Europe-backed cascade funding call designed to catalyze international cultural co-creation centered on resilience. It requires at least one Ukrainian cultural organization and at least one partner from another Creative Europe participating country to jointly develop a new or substantially re-imagined cultural work, with balanced contributions across the partnership. All creative sectors are eligible except the audiovisual sector. Each project must stage public presentations in the locality of each partner, with minimum one in Ukraine and one in the partner’s country; hybrid or online delivery for Ukraine is acceptable if mandated by security conditions. Grants of up to €25,000 can finance up to 90% of the budget, with a minimum 10% cash co-financing from partners. Eligible cost categories include artist time, travel and green travel support, accommodation, visas, shipping, equipment depreciation, production and venue services, communications and documentation, and management and administration up to 20%. The application is submitted in English via the IZOLYATSIA platform by a lead applicant on behalf of the consortium and must include the online form, online budget, Letters of Guarantee, registration documents, and organizational statutes for each partner following platform templates. After a technical eligibility check, proposals are reviewed by two independent experts and finally selected by a committee considering quality, relevance to the call’s objectives and intercultural dialogue, cross-cutting themes, audience reach, and sustained impact. Beneficiaries receive 70% pre-financing and 30% upon final report approval, must ensure EU visibility, and cannot double-charge EU funds. IP remains with the partners, but licensing for policy, communication, and dissemination use by ZMINA:Resilience and the EU is required. With a total envelope of €187,500 and an expected 7–10 awards, the call is a focused, time-bound opportunity to co-create and publicly present cultural works that strengthen resilience and intercultural ties between Ukraine and the wider Creative Europe community.

Funding Opportunity Overview

ZMINA:Resilience is a European Union-funded initiative designed to support the integration of Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors into the EU's cultural landscape in preparation for Ukraine's EU accession. The programme provides funding and capacity building to foster collaborations between artistic and cultural organisations from Ukraine and other Creative Europe participating countries. This first call specifically targets co-creation projects that develop and present international artistic collaborations on the theme of resilience.

Call Details and Key Dates

Call Identifier:ZMINA.Resilience - First call for co-creation funding of international cooperation projects CREA-CULT

Call Opening Date:10 March 2026

Application Deadline:10 May 2026, 23:59 (Kyiv time) / 22:59 (Brussels time)

Submission Format:Single-stage submission via IZOLYATSIA online platform

Funding Information

Total Budget Available:€187,500

Maximum Grant per Project:€25,000, covering up to 90 percent of eligible project costs

Expected Number of Grants:7 to 10 projects

Co-Financing Requirement:Mandatory minimum of 10 percent of total project budget in cash contribution from partners. Distribution among partners is flexible and determined by mutual agreement.

Payment Schedule:70 percent disbursed upon grant agreement signature; remaining 30 percent paid upon submission and approval of final project report

Project Duration and Implementation Timeline

Maximum Project Duration:Up to 7 months from the date of grant agreement signature

Implementation Period:July 2026 to January 2027

Evaluation Timeline:May 2026 (evaluation period); June 2026 (results announcement); July 2026 (grant agreement signing)

Objectives and Scope

The call aims to support co-creation projects that develop and present international artistic collaborations on the topic of resilience. Projects must involve at least two local presentations, with one occurring in Ukraine and one in the international partner's country. All creative and cultural sectors are eligible except audiovisual production. The programme emphasises equal partnership, with each partner expected to contribute equally through creative input, management responsibilities, or audience development.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants

Organisations active in the field of arts and culture established in Creative Europe participating countries are eligible. For Ukrainian organisations, registration must be in a zone effectively controlled by the Ukrainian government. Individual artists and sole proprietors cannot be direct grant recipients but may participate as members of creative teams through organisations.

Partnership Requirements

• Projects must involve at least two partners from at least two different countries
• One partner must be from Ukraine
• At least one partner must be from another Creative Europe participating country
• Partnership must reflect genuine collaboration with balanced and equal roles
• Each partner must contribute equally through creative input, management responsibilities, or audience development
• Partners must not be subject to EU restrictive measures

Eligible Creative Sectors

All cultural and creative sectors are eligible, including visual arts, performing arts, filmmaking, literature, and urban cultural planning. The audiovisual sector is explicitly excluded from this call.

Creative Europe Participating Countries

Eligible countries include all 27 EU Member States, EEA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein), acceding and candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova), and selected European Neighbourhood Policy countries (Armenia, Tunisia). ¹

Eligible Activities and Costs

Eligible Project Activities

• All activities necessary for co-creation project implementation and development
• Public presentation of the co-creation in the locality of each project partner
• Travel related to organisational, rehearsal, artistic, and presentation purposes

Eligible Cost Categories

• Time of artists: €75 per artist per day
• International travel: €350 per return trip
• Local travel (e.g. participation in trainings): €65 per return trip
• Support to green travel (for one-way travels above 600 km not by air): €300
• Accommodation and per diem: €75 per overnight stay
• Visa costs, if needed: €80
• Shipping and transport of equipment, including insurance: at actual cost
• Supplies and equipment (depreciation costs only): at actual cost
• Services required for project implementation (production, equipment rental, venue rental for events): at actual cost
• Communication, marketing, and documentation: at actual cost
• Management and administration costs: maximum 20 percent of overall budget

Application Requirements

Application Language

All applications must be submitted in English.

Required Documents

The application package must include the application form and budget completed directly on the platform, plus supporting documents for each partner in PDF format:

• Scanned Letter of Guarantee signed by the head of the organisation
• Official registration documents (for non-Ukrainian organisations: national registration documents with English translation if original is in another language; for Ukrainian organisations: Full Extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Physical Persons-Entrepreneurs, and Public Formations dated after the call opening)
• Current version of Statutes or equivalent (if mandatory for the legal entity) - all pages (for non-Ukrainian organisations: with English translation if original is in another language; for Ukrainian organisations: in original language)

Application Submission

Applications must be submitted via the IZOLYATSIA online platform by a single representative of the consortium (Lead Applicant). The platform is accessible at IZOLYATSIA Application Platform.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Three-Stage Evaluation

1. 1Technical eligibility check by ZMINA:Resilience team to verify compliance with formal requirements, admissibility, and eligibility criteria
2. 2Quality evaluation by two independent external evaluators who assign scores to applications
3. 3Final selection by Selection Committee, which considers geographical, sectoral, and thematic diversity within available budget

Technical Eligibility Criteria

Applications must meet the following technical requirements:all required attachments uploaded in specified formats and following standard templates; all attachments readable, accessible, and printable; all project partners meet eligibility conditions; partner registration meets call conditions; application form complete with all requested information; total sub-grant amount within maximum limits; total partner contribution meets conditions; project implementation period within defined timeframe; project start date meets conditions.

Selection Criteria

Relevance:Relevance of the project to call objectives; relevance of potential co-creation to act as substrate for intercultural dialogue

Quality:Quality of extent to which cross-cutting issues (digital, green, inclusion) are addressed, including barrier-free access to project results; quality of partnership with equal importance of roles played by project partners; quality of scale of engagement measured by expected audience size and number of local presentations

Impact:Impact and sustainability of the project, including plans and possibilities for future presentations of the co-creation

Key Conditions and Restrictions

• Double funding within the EU budget is not permitted
• All costs must be incurred after grant agreement signature and within project implementation period
• Compliance with EU branding and visibility requirements is mandatory
• Each project must include at least one public presentation in the locality of every participating partner
• Minimum one presentation must occur in Ukraine (may be hybrid or online if required by security situation)
• Minimum one presentation must occur in the international partner's country (offline)
• Income generated from the project (e.g. ticket sales) must be reinvested into the project
• Partners retain ownership of intellectual property rights to created materials
• ZMINA:Resilience partners and the European Union retain rights to use produced materials for policy, information, communication, dissemination, and publicity purposes

Support and Assistance

Email Helpline:hi@zmina.eu (response within 2 working days)

Online Consultations:Weekly ZOOM consultations held every Tuesday at 10:00 CET. Registration available on the application platform.

Information Sessions:Online info-sessions held in Ukrainian and English. Matchmaking sessions available to facilitate partner identification.

Additional Resources:FAQ and additional materials available on the application platform. Detailed information about ZMINA:Resilience available at ZMINA Website.

Implementing Partners

ZMINA:Resilience is implemented by IZOLYATSIA Foundation (Ukraine), Malý Berlín (Slovakia), and Trans Europe Halles (Sweden), with co-funding from the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. The programme is part of a broader initiative to support Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors' integration into the EU cultural landscape.

Budget Distribution Guidance

There are no fixed percentage requirements for budget distribution between partners. However, distribution should be based on fairness, transparency, and real contribution of each partner. When planning budgets, applicants should consider balance of cooperation (reflecting active roles of both parties), mandatory event costs (covering presentations in both Ukraine and partner country), own contribution distribution (minimum 10 percent can be distributed in any proportion by mutual agreement), and budgetary alignment with planned activities.

Important Notes for Applicants

• This call is for new co-creation projects, not for showcasing already-completed work
• Projects must demonstrate genuine collaboration with balanced partnership
• Budget assessment will evaluate cost-effectiveness and plausibility; final grant amount may be adjusted before agreement signature
• Final grant amount determined based on combination of lump sum units and actual costs incurred
• Applications must demonstrate how cross-cutting issues (digital, green, inclusion) are addressed
• Barrier-free access to project results is required
• Audience development and reach are important evaluation factors

Footnotes

1. 1Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, and Armenia have limited participation in certain strands. Consult the official Creative Europe participating countries list for current status and specific restrictions.