The EU's Culture Programme (2007-2013) has a special action for cultural cooperation projects with other ('Third') countries. In 2013, applications can be made for co-finance grants for joint cultural projects lasting up to 2 years between Europe and Australia.

Each year the special action enables one or more countries* to be the subject of a call for proposals. The call enables grants to be given for cooperation projects, which correspond to the objectives of the Culture Programme.

The only eligible applicants are public or private organisations with legal personality whose main activity is in the cultural field (areas of cultural or creative activity) and whose head office is in one of the countries taking part in the Programme.

The deadline for applications is 8 May 2013 (note deadline has been extended)


To be eligible, projects must:

• have a duration of not more than 24 months;


• involve a minimum of three co-organisers drawn from three different countries taking part in the Programme;


• be the subject of an application containing a signed mandate for each co-organiser listing his essential obligations;


• involve cultural cooperation with at least one partner from the selected Third Country; at least 50% of the project activities should take place in that country;


• be based on a cooperation agreement concluded by the participating cultural operators (coordinator, co-organiser and partner or partners in the Third Country or Countries; this agreement is signed by the coordinator, the co-organisers and the partner or partners in the Third Country and describes the nature of their cooperation;


• be the subject of an application requesting a grant of no less than EUR 50 000 and no more than EUR 200 000;


• be the subject of an application containing a balanced budget, i.e. one in which expenditure equals receipts, and adhere to the ceiling for co-financing by the European Union, set at 50% of the total eligible budget.

Awarding of a grant is not only dependent on the examination of the eligibility and exclusion criteria and the operational and financial capacity of the organisation(s).

The final selection decision will be determined in particular on the basis of the award criteria. The award criteria comprise qualitative and quantitative indicators and you can read more about them in the Programme Guide.

Successful applicants will be published on the results section on the website of the Executive Agency on 31 August 2013. Starting date for projects is between 1 November 2013 and 31 October 2014.

ONLY online applications are accepted - read all the programme guidelines very carefully and ensure you fulfil all the criteria!

Australian applicants can also consult information on the Delegation of the European Union to Australia website

*NOTE: 2013 designated Third Countries for the EU Culture Programme are Australia and Canada