Grants for Projects in the Field of Performing Arts

Perform Europe is a funding programme for the performing arts sector across 41 Creative Europe countries, supporting innovative partnerships that rethink cross-border touring and the presentation of performing arts works.

The programme aims to:

• promote greener, more inclusive, and more diverse models of international touring and collaboration;
• support partnerships that introduce innovative approaches to cross-border mobility, including digital presentation formats;
• reduce inequalities in access to funding, knowledge, professional development, resources, and international cooperation;
• increase the participation of underrepresented communities within the performing arts sector.

The call focuses on diversity and inclusion and the fight against climate change. Partnership proposals are expected to address both priorities while selecting one as the core focus of the proposed project.

Applications are eligible only if all programme eligibility requirements are fulfilled.

Key requirements include:

• the partnership must consist of at least three partners legally based in at least three Creative Europe participating countries;
• the proposal must include at least one completed performing arts work to be presented in at least three Creative Europe countries;
• the application must be submitted in English, including completed application and budget forms, together with a cooperation agreement signed by all partners;
• partnership proposals must address both inclusion and diversity and the fight against climate change.

Additional requirements:

• projects must be implemented between 1 March 2027 and 31 January 2028;
• applicants must be based in eligible Creative Europe participating countries, including Ukraine;
• applicants may use the dedicated Matchmaking Platform to identify partners and develop cross-border partnerships.

Applications are not eligible if they have previously received Perform Europe funding or involve double funding from other European Union programmes.

The Perform Europe grant programme provides financial support for partnership projects in the performing arts sector. The grant may cover up to 100% of eligible project costs, with a maximum grant amount of EUR 60,000, including any approved top-ups.

Three grant categories are available:

• EUR 15,000 – small grant;
• EUR 25,000 – medium grant;
• EUR 55,000 – large grant.

Partnerships may also request top-ups of up to EUR 5,000 per project to address specific needs, including:

• green mobility;
• accessibility for participants and audiences;
• visa-related costs;
• family support;
• participation from overseas countries and territories.

The grant may cover, among other things:

• staff and artistic fees;
• travel, accommodation, logistics, and communication;
• venue and equipment rental;
• capacity-building activities;
• accessibility and environmental sustainability costs.

However, the programme does not fund the production of new artistic works. Supported works must already be completed and ready for presentation. Preparatory production costs may be covered only partially, up to 10% of the requested grant amount.

The Perform Europe programme supports partnership projects in the performing arts sector focused on the cross-border touring and presentation of existing artistic works across Creative Europe countries.

The programme gives priority to:

• diversity and inclusion;
• the fight against climate change, with one of these priorities serving as the project's main focus.

Supported projects are expected to:

• present performing arts works across borders;
• introduce innovative approaches to presentation, collaboration, and audience engagement;
• promote fair partnerships, professional development, and knowledge sharing;
• increase the participation and visibility of underrepresented regions and cultural communities.

As part of the application, partnerships describe:

• the artistic project and complementary activities (such as workshops, public talks, or lectures);
• partnership capacity-building activities;
• the communication strategy and the project implementation plan.

The Perform Europe grant programme follows a defined timeline covering the period from the launch of the open call to the completion of the selected projects.

Key milestones include:

• 23 June 2026 — launch of the open call;
• 22 October 2026, 23:59 CEST — application submission deadline;
• January 2027 — announcement of the selected partnerships;
• 1 March 2027 — selected projects begin touring;
• 31 January 2028 — completion of touring and project implementation.

During the open call period, the programme will also organize Help Desk sessions, information events, promotional activities, and knowledge-sharing events to support prospective applicants.

To participate in the grant programme, applicants are required to submit the online application by 22 October.

The application process includes the following steps:

• Complete the online application form before the submission deadline.
• Prepare and submit the application in English.
• If any technical or application issues arise, contact the programme organisers by email.
• Consult the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for additional guidance if needed.

Applications to Perform Europe are assessed through a single-stage evaluation process. Proposals are first checked for compliance with the formal eligibility requirements, after which eligible applications are reviewed by two independent experts. The final score is based on the consolidated evaluation.

The assessment is based on the following criteria:

• Project relevance – up to 35 points.
• Quality of content and activities (artistic work, partnership, touring, innovation, and budget) – 30 points.
• Fairness and partnership collaboration – 25 points.
• Communication and dissemination – 10 points.

To be considered for funding, a proposal must:

• achieve an overall score of at least 70 out of 100 points;
• meet the minimum threshold for each criterion:
  • relevance – 17.5/35;
  • quality – 15/30;
  • fairness – 12.5/25;
  • communication – 5/10.

If proposals receive the same overall score, priority is determined successively by the scores for Relevance, Quality, Fairness, and Communication. Following the evaluation, the Evaluation Committee makes the final selection, and applicants are notified of the results by email.

Applicants participating in the grant programme are expected to prepare and use the following documents:

• Perform Europe Open Call and Guidelines.
• PDF version of the digital application form.
• Budget template for preparing the financial section of the application.
• Cooperation Agreement template.
• Co-financing commitment letter template, where applicable.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for additional guidance on the application process.

After receiving funding, selected Perform Europe partnerships are expected to fulfil a number of programme obligations throughout the implementation period.

Key requirements include:

• delivering at least three physical and/or digital presentations of the artistic work in a minimum of three Creative Europe countries;
• where relevant, organising complementary activities such as public talks, training sessions, workshops, installations, or other activities that strengthen the project's impact;
• allocating at least 1.5% of the grant to partnership capacity-building activities;
• participating in three online peer-to-peer sessions organised by Perform Europe;
• contributing to communication and knowledge-sharing activities, including interviews, publications, social media content, and dissemination initiatives.

Selected partnerships are also required to meet all reporting obligations within the deadlines established in the partnership agreement. Applicants are encouraged to allocate sufficient time and resources for reporting and compliance activities in their project planning and budget.

Applicants should take into account several key conditions and provisions established by the grant programme.

Key provisions include:

• The organisers will select at least 25 successful projects, and applicants will be informed of the results in January 2027.
• The programme has a total budget of EUR 1.4 million, with more than EUR 70,000 allocated to support Ukrainian performing arts or projects involving Ukraine.
• Funding is intended to support the touring and presentation of existing artistic works and does not cover the creation of new projects.
• Participants may take part in multiple projects simultaneously.
• Projects may be presented in live, digital, or hybrid formats.
• Music projects are not eligible under this call for proposals.