Grants for Cultural and Artistic Projects by Culture Helps Solidarity

The collaborative grants competition aims to support partnership projects between organizations from Ukraine and Creative Europe participating countries. The program is co-financed by the European Union under the Creative Europe program and is implemented by the European Cultural Foundation (Amsterdam) in partnership with Insha Osvita (Kyiv), zusa (Berlin), and the VETERANKA movement (Kyiv).

The purpose of the grant is to improve access to culture and promote the integration of Ukrainian displaced persons, refugees, and veterans into new communities through art. The program supports initiatives that strengthen mental health, develop intercultural dialogue, and promote cross-border professional exchange.

Application Requirements

• Applications must be submitted in English and must include a completed application form and a detailed budget.
• Applicants must be over 18 years of age at the time of application and have a sufficient level of English proficiency to implement the project.

Requirements for Applicants and Organizations

• The competition is open to partnerships of at least two organizations: one from Ukraine and another from a Creative Europe program country.
• Organizations (public, governmental, or private non-profit) must operate in the cultural, creative, or civic sectors.

Funding Volume and Structure of the Competition

• At least 15 international projects will be supported within this competition.
• The maximum grant amount depends on the number of participants:
  • up to €20,000 for partnerships of two organizations;
  • up to €30,000 for partnerships of three or more organizations.

Directions for Grant Fund Usage

• The grant can cover costs for production, marketing and advertising, IT tools, communication means, materials, as well as the rental and maintenance of studios or cultural spaces.
• Financing for the purchase of other goods, means, or services is permitted (upon special request, for instance, when necessary for project implementation or to replace lost/destroyed resources).
•  Coverage is provided for expert services, artist fees, legal support, operating expenses, team salaries, as well as travel-related expenses.

Unsupported Costs

• Purely humanitarian aid and individual requests aimed exclusively at covering living expenses (cost-of-living support).
• Expenses for activities or political events related to the support of political parties.
• Expenses for creating content or implementing project stages that are entirely or predominantly generated using artificial intelligence (without proper authorship and expert revision).

Financial Principles and Co-financing

• Co-financing is not mandatory, however, donors recommend that the grant amount covers a maximum of 80% of the total project budget.
• All budgeted costs must be justified and proportional to the activities within the project.

• Cultural integration activities for displaced Ukrainians, refugees, and veterans into host communities.
• Initiatives aimed at supporting mental health through art and culture.
• Cross-border networking and exchange of professional experience and best practices.
• Development of intercultural dialogue and professional growth for cultural managers.

• September 1, 2026 — Start of the competition
• September 15, 2026 — Online Q&A info session and partner search meeting
• November 10, 2026 — Application submission deadline
• Late January 2027 — Evaluation and selection of applications
• February 1, 2027 — Earliest start date for the implementation of selected projects
• Summer 2027 — Offline networking meeting (date to be confirmed)
• January 31, 2028 — Project completion
• February 29, 2028 — Final reports deadline

• Relevance to the general theme and objectives of the competition: does the project use art and culture to improve access to cultural life and support the integration into local communities of Ukrainians who were forced to move due to the war (in Ukraine and/or Creative Europe countries)? Is it focused on supporting vulnerable groups, female and male veterans, and their mental health?
•  Quality of the partnership: does the application convincingly demonstrate the partners' capacity, the complementarity of the organizations, and the motivation for cooperation?
• Authenticity and experimental nature: does the project proposal and partnership composition highlight an innovative approach to the competition's objectives? This covers the search for new forms of cultural cooperation, audience engagement, intercultural dialogue, or mental health support initiatives through the involvement of organizations whose skills, experience, and networks ensure meaningful cross-border exchange and mutual learning.
• Realism and implementation potential: does the proposal have a convincing potential for implementation, including a well-reasoned and balanced budget?
• Impact: does the project demonstrate a positive impact on the target audience? Do the partners have a vision for the development of cooperation after the project's completion, as well as an understanding of its contribution to building long-term cultural ties between Ukraine and Creative Europe countries and to the broader context of Ukraine's European integration?
• Eco-friendliness and sustainability: does the proposal reflect a convincing understanding of environmental sustainability, a fair and "green" transition, and the environmental consequences of the war?

Online Q&A info session and matchmaking (partner search): September 15, 2026, 15:00 (Kyiv).

Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8ErcCkbyQeaY0dFCF3iTNg

• Reporting: The deadline for final reporting is February 29, 2028.
• Mandatory Activities: Participation in mentoring sessions and networking is a mandatory condition for grant recipients.

Financial and Programmatic Restrictions

• The project cannot receive funding from other Creative Europe programs to avoid double financing.
• Applications submitted by political parties will not be considered.
• Private organizations may participate only upon documented confirmation of their non-profit and charitable status.

Restrictions on Types of Supported Initiatives

• Purely humanitarian initiatives or individual requests aimed exclusively at covering living expenses (cost-of-living support) are not eligible for funding.
• Applications whose content or concept is predominantly generated using artificial intelligence are discouraged and may receive a lower priority during evaluation.