Syndicate: APEX Grants information

[Andreas Broeckmann <abroeck@v2.nl>]

This is the most recent (Aug.97) information about the APEXchanges
programme from http://home.pi.net/~ecsinfo/APEX.HTM

Please, note that there are now two types of grants, the link-up travel
grant which several Syndicate members have received in the past, and the
KPN project travel grant geared to artistic projects initiated and carried
out by young artists and arts organizers, working and living in Central and
Eastern Europe.

For more information, get in touch with APEX coordinator Madelon Cabooter
at <ecsinfo@pi.net>.

_______________________________________

APEXchanges

Arts Mobility for Central and Eastern Europe
An Initiative of the European Cultural Foundation

APEXchanges is a fund for young artists and art organizers from Central and
Eastern Europe, initiated and coordinated by the European Cultural
Foundation. It supports joint cross-border projects emerging in the sectors
of visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography, media arts) and
performing arts (theatre, dance, music) by financing travel costs.

The term "APEX" is borrowed from the travel industry, where it refers to
less expensive tickets. In this spirit, APEXchanges aims to support
practical, inexpensive solutions to mobility for young individual artists
and art organizers from Central and Eastern Europe.

APEXchanges consists of two types of grants
* the link-up travel grant
* the KPN project travel grant


Why APEXchanges?

Cultural contacts between Central, East and West European countries
during the communist era were controlled, centralized and
very exclusive. Most artists and art organizers did not have the
opportunity to meet colleagues and engage in artistic exchanges
in an open, informal atmosphere, and collaboration on a voluntary basis
was virtually impossible. Currently, the cultural sector
in Central and Eastern Europe faces other barriers. High travel costs
-in relation to most salaries- are an important factor that
make cultural exchanges on a non-institutional level still very
difficult. This leaves little room for initiatives to develop from this
region, and most travel and exchange is largely dependent upon
invitations by Western- based initiatives. The APEXchanges
link-up travel grant and the KPN project travel grant aim to fill this
gap.


Link-up Travel Grant

The link-up travel grant supports travel costs for young individual
artists and art organizers from Central and Eastern Europe to
make contacts and to work with colleagues from other European countries
in exploring and planning projects based on
cooperation and exchange. Grants could be awarded to projects related
to:

* meetings for planning joint cross-border projects
* cross-border partnership projects
* network activities and meetings
* training programmes and workshops

 

KPN Project Travel Grant

The KPN project travel grant is geared to artistic projects initiated
and carried out by young artists and arts organizers, working
and living in Central and Eastern Europe. Projects should be in the
visual or performing arts sector, cover a limited time span,
involve artists or art organizers from Europe and take place in Central
or Eastern Europe. The KPN project travel grant combines two types of
support travel support, covering travel costs of invited colleagues from
Central, Eastern or Western Europe start-up support, covering a part of the
preparatory costs (salaries and overheads excluded)

Grants vary between US$ 1500 and 2500 and could be awarded to projects
related to:
* artistic co-productions
* workshops and training


How to apply to APEXchanges

An application form for either grant can be obtained from the
APEXchanges coordinator and should be returned at least two
months before the start of the project.

For the application we request the following information (in French or
English):

1 About yourself
curriculum vitae, including your personal details, address, telephone,
fax, E-mail, date of birth, studies and working experiences

2 Financial information
- the budget of your project, including travel(s), accommodation, visa(s),
per diems and other project costs, and an explanation of how other expenses
are covered
- the price (in US$) of the cheapest ticket(s) possible and an explanation
of the chosen type of transport
- banking details with name, address and swiftcode of the bank and the
name, address and account number of the account holder
- an explanation of why it is financially necessary to receive an
APEXchanges grant

3 Background of the project
- date of the project
- an outline of the project and its anticipated results
- for a link-up travel grant: name and address of the partner abroad
- for a KPN project travel grant: a description of the organization, the
curricula vitae of the invited colleagues including an explanation why it
is important to invite them

4 Information on APEXchanges
- the name, address, telephone and fax number of the person or organization
from which you received information on APEXchanges


The procedure of APEXchanges

All applications will be reviewed by the APEXchanges evaluation
committee. If this committee awards you a grant, you will
receive the reimbursement of the (travel) expenses after your trip. In
order to be able to transfer the money, we must receive by
mail a written request for payment, the original ticket(s) and a final
report describing the project and indicating its major
achievements and its potential future developments. In the case of a
project travel grant we must also receive copies of the
receipts and a final financial report. Any printed matter resulting from
the project should contain the APEXchanges logo.

No support for

* travel costs related to postdoctoral study or long-term study
* research projects
* touring expenses


Send your applications to:

Madelon Cabooter
APEXchanges Coordinator
European Cultural Foundation
Jan van Goyenkade 5
1075 HN, Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: +31-20-6760222
fax: +31-20-6752231
Email: ecsinfo@pi.net
http://home.pi.net/~ecsinfo/


The funders of APEXchanges are:

* The European Cultural Foundation
* KPN (Royal PTT Nederland)
KPN offers business and private customers a complete range of high quality
products and services concentrating on the transport of written and
electronic information, goods and valuable items. Supporting APEXchanges is
a way to bring people together to communicate and communication is our core
business.