Apply Now: European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists

Deadline: 03-Nov-2026

The European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) Call #5 is inviting applications from festivals in Europe and neighbouring countries to host international residencies for emerging artists across a wide range of artistic disciplines. The initiative supports festivals in working together across borders and creating opportunities for emerging artists to develop their creative practices, gain international experience, and reach new audiences outside their home countries. EFFEA Call #5 is expected to support approximately 50 artist residencies, involving at least 150 festivals. Funding will be provided through two residency formats: EFFEA Discovery and EFFEA Springboard. The programme will award 40 grants of €8,000 for Discovery residencies and 10 grants of €15,000 for Springboard residencies.

About the European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists

The European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) is an initiative of the European Festivals Association, co-funded by the European Union. The programme is designed to strengthen cross-border collaboration between festivals while supporting the international development of emerging artists. EFFEA enables festivals from different countries to collaborate on artist residencies, giving artists opportunities to: - Develop their artistic practice - Work in international environments - Collaborate with festivals from different countries - Present their work to new audiences - Expand their professional networks - Gain international visibility - Explore opportunities beyond their national context The programme also strengthens cooperation among European festivals by encouraging them to jointly host and support emerging artists. EFFEA Call #5 Funding EFFEA Call #5 will provide funding through two residency formats. EFFEA Discovery EFFEA Discovery is intended for artists who are at the early stages of their careers and demonstrate strong potential for international development.

The programme will provide:

- 40 grants - €8,000 per Discovery residency The funding can support the costs associated with hosting artists and developing residency activities involving participating festivals. EFFEA Springboard EFFEA Springboard is designed for artists who are already established in their home countries and are ready to take the next step towards international development.

The programme will provide:

- 10 grants - €15,000 per Springboard residency Springboard residencies are intended to help artists strengthen their international reach and develop new opportunities through collaboration with festivals in other countries. Number of Residencies and Festivals EFFEA Call #5 is expected to support approximately 50 residencies. These residencies are expected to involve at least 150 festivals, creating a broad network of festivals and artists working across national borders. The partnership model allows several festivals to contribute to a single residency and provides artists with exposure to different cultural and professional contexts. Eligible Artistic Disciplines EFFEA supports artists working across a broad range of artistic disciplines.

Eligible areas include:

- Architecture - Dance - Circus - Design - Digital arts - Film - Folklore - Heritage - Interdisciplinary arts - Literature - Music - Opera - Street art - Theatre - Photography - Puppetry - Sculpture - Painting The wide disciplinary scope allows artists and festivals from different artistic backgrounds to participate in the programme. How the EFFEA Residency Model Works EFFEA residencies are built around collaboration between festivals in different countries. A residency partnership must include at least: - Three festivals - Three eligible countries - One leading festival - At least two partner festivals The leading festival coordinates the residency partnership, while the partner festivals contribute to the international collaboration and artist development process. This structure is intended to ensure that the residency has a genuinely international dimension rather than being hosted by a single festival. Who Can Apply as a Festival? Residency projects must be led by a partnership of eligible festivals.

Both leading and partner festivals must:

- Be based in an eligible country - Have organised at least one festival edition - Be registered on FestivalFinder.eu - Participate in a partnership involving at least three festivals from three eligible countries One festival must act as the leading festival, with at least two additional festivals acting as partners. Festival Partnership Requirements The partnership structure is a central element of the EFFEA programme. Applicants should establish clear responsibilities between participating festivals and explain how each festival will contribute to the residency.

The partnership should demonstrate:

- International collaboration - Shared responsibility - Artist development - Opportunities for presentation or public engagement - Cross-border knowledge exchange - Potential for continued cooperation A strong partnership should show why involving multiple festivals and countries will add value to the artist’s development. Who Can Be Proposed as an Artist? EFFEA provides opportunities for artists from a wide range of backgrounds.

Eligible artists may include:

- Individuals - Collectives - Companies - Ensembles - Groups Artists can be of any age and nationality, provided they have nationality or legal residence in one of the eligible countries. This broad eligibility allows the programme to support different types of artistic practices and organisational structures. Artists from Additional Participating Countries Festivals based in Israel, Palestine, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom may participate as partner festivals. Artists from these countries may also be proposed for EFFEA residencies. This provides opportunities for wider international collaboration and allows artists from these countries to participate even where their fe