After 50 years of strong impulses, the ECF is still the only non-national cultural foundation with the potential for exemplary cross-border practice and promotion of bottom-up activities, as well as for the development of a European cultural space and a democratic cultural policy for Europe in the spirit of diversity.

The ECF has two main objectives:

• to support innovative work not yet supported by the business sector or by public authorities;
• to share the new Trans-European ideas, skills and experiences.

The ECF is also an advocacy organisation. Previous activity includes the 'Enlargement of Minds' programme. This sought to generate publications, discussions and collaborative artistic programmes around the EU enlargement process; as well as debates on the future of the EU's Culture 2000 programme for cultural co-operation and the need for a European 'Laboratory' to monitor and stimulate cultural co-operation.

ECF Funding

All ECF funding programmes have the aim of promoting culture and the arts in the European integration process. They do this by supporting notable examples of cultural and artistic participation and communication across borders.

International projects are considered if there is a strong European component. Grants awarded by ECF do typically not exceed Euro 40,000 and priority is given to projects that have a balanced range of sources of income, including other funding partners; ECF will cover up to 70% of the project costs.

The ECF currently offers funding through programmes related to the following priorities:

• Encouraging intercultural dialogue
• Stimulating participation through the arts
• Strengthening the cultural sector

These priorities are supported, modestly, through a mix of grants and programmes. Such grants complement the ECF's own programme initiative 'Art for Social Change'; focused on professional artists working, or interested in working, with young people.

The four different funding opportunities are:

• Individual travel grants. These promote the mobility of professionals in the cultural sector (artists, cultural managers, policymakers) within Europe.
• Projects grants (for organisations). These enable non-governmental organisations across Europe to develop and implement projects between different cultural groups.
• Evaluation and communication grants. These support projects which evaluate and communicate new approaches and working methods within the cultural sector in Europe.
• Partnership grants. For advocacy projects, which aim to build partnerships with organisations that develop projects, which champion the role of culture within Europe.

For full and detailed information about these and other ECF and ECF associated programmes please visit the ECF Amsterdam Website, which also contains information on:

• grants for innovative pan-European activities.
• grants for individuals under the mobility scheme S.T.E.P. beyond, which forms part of our new action line Enlargement of Minds.
• the Roberto Cimetta Fund, an ECF supported programme which facilitates individual travel in the Mediterranean