Culture Between Cities is a project idea that aims to share cultural governance experiences among cities in Türkiye and Europe, strengthen access to and participation in cultural life, and develop new cooperation models through joint artistic production. The project plans to bring together arts and culture actors, artists, civil society organisations and local governments to carry out research, mutual learning, cultural policy work and pilot activities aimed at developing local cultural policies in a participatory and inclusive manner. By comparing the experiences of partners in Türkiye and Europe and through co-production processes, the project aims to develop CSO-municipality cooperation and participatory cultural policy mechanisms that can be sustained beyond the project.
The partner organisation we are looking for is expected to bring to the project its experience of the arts and culture ecosystem and local governments in its own country. It is also expected to share knowledge and experience in the areas of participatory cultural policies, cultural governance and access to cultural life.
The partner organisation is expected to contribute actively in the following areas: developing the project design, mutual learning and research processes, exchange activities between arts and culture professionals and artists, and joint artistic productions.
The partner organisation is also expected to share good practices from its own city and contribute to developing the project activities in Türkiye. It is further expected to take part in shaping the policy recommendations and sustainable cooperation models to be developed within the project. Sustaining cooperation between cultural actors in Türkiye and Europe after the project is also an important part of the partner organisation’s contribution.
The project aims to bring together museum education experiences from Türkiye and Europe in order to develop the professional knowledge, skills and practical capacities of museum educators, strengthen the quality, accessibility and inclusiveness of educational content, and establish sustainable cooperation between local governments and civil society organisations.
Within the project, a modular capacity building programme for museum educators will be prepared, based on a museum education standards document developed through scientific research. The modules, to be developed through experience sharing among experts from Türkiye and Europe, will cover key areas such as learning design, accessibility and inclusiveness, participation, educator competencies and evaluation. The content will be piloted in selected museums, and the results will be evaluated with standards-based indicators.
Based on the experience and findings gained by the end of the project, a Museum Education Practice and Training Model that can be adapted to different museums and local governments will be created, and this model will contribute to strengthening access to and participation in cultural life. The project also aims to establish lasting international cooperation and to develop policy recommendations through advocacy.
The partner organisation from Europe is expected to bring to the project its knowledge and practical experience in museum education and cultural participation, and to share good practice examples, educational approaches and inclusive museum practices from its own country. The partner organisation will take an active role in expert exchanges, study visits and online trainings that contribute to the joint design of the museum education modules to be developed. Particular importance is attached to its contribution to comparing the museum education standards developed in Türkiye with practices in Europe, and to assessing how applicable the standards are in different cultural contexts. The partner organisation is also expected to cooperate in evaluating the pilot activities, improving the model that is developed, and disseminating the results to museum and cultural networks in Europe. In this way, the partnership will be structured around mutual learning and sustainable Türkiye–Europe cooperation rather than one-way knowledge transfer.
Youth Cultural Rights Lab: Istanbul–Prishtina aims to strengthen young people’s participation in cultural life and local cultural governance through cooperation between civil society organisations and municipalities in Türkiye and Kosovo. Primarily implemented in Istanbul, the project would combine participatory research on barriers to cultural participation, youth cultural policy labs, intercultural exchange and study visits, and practical mechanisms for involving young people in local cultural decision-making. Young people, cultural professionals, CSOs and municipalities would also co-produce public cultural activities and digital content, including podcasts and short audiovisual stories on cultural rights, local identity and intercultural dialogue. Selected comparative activities in Prishtina would support mutual learning between the two cities. The project would conclude with joint policy recommendations and a practical model for sustainable CSO–municipality cooperation on youth participation in cultural life.
We are looking for an experienced culture-oriented civil society organisation based in Istanbul to act as the lead applicant and co-design the project with us. We seek a partner with expertise in cultural policy, cultural rights, participatory cultural governance, cultural production or intercultural cooperation, preferably with previous experience working with municipalities. The Istanbul-based organisation would lead the Türkiye component, contribute cultural policy and management expertise, coordinate the main cultural activities and help engage a municipal associate in Istanbul. Klubi i Etikës would contribute its experience in youth engagement, research, non-formal education, public dialogue, institutional cooperation and multimedia communication, while coordinating the Kosovo component and cooperation with the Municipality of Prishtina. Both organisations would jointly develop the methodology, exchanges, cultural outputs and policy recommendations and establish a partnership designed to continue beyond the project period.
Art Beyond Borders is an international cultural project that brings artists together to strengthen intercultural dialogue, create joint artistic works, and share the cultural heritage of border regions.
Four countries come together in the project. Joint workshops and seminars are held in painting, sculpture, ceramics, traditional handicrafts, photography, and music. Following this creative process, touring exhibitions are opened in the four countries, reaching thousands of people. The project also includes an intercultural dialogue symposium, where a lasting cooperation protocol is signed.
The project also offers opportunities to our senior artists, and their experience is passed on to future generations.
The project will run for 12 months. During this period, the goal is to reach a total of 30 artists and more than 2,000 visitors.
Our core message: We believe that art knows no borders. We set out to remove borders and to create and share our common culture and art together.
Our expectation from our partners: Not merely participation, but to create, share, take ownership, and build lasting friendships.
Bringing traditional handicrafts together with upcycling practices, building a bridge between past and future, and thereby passing cultural values on to future generations in contemporary forms.
Working together during the development and implementation of the project.
Heritage on the Move – Çine
The partner organisation we are looking for is expected to have experience in the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage, participatory cultural policies, local government–civil society cooperation, and intercultural dialogue.
In the Footsteps of Urban Memory” is a 10-12 month cultural cooperation project that aims to make the historical heritage of Eskişehir and a partner city in Europe visible through traditional arts. Coordinated by the Eskişehir Art Association, with the participation of Odunpazarı Municipality, the project will use meerschaum carving, ebru (paper marbling) and miniature painting as tools for exploring urban memory. Through an international mobility programme with a culture and arts CSO and a municipality to be selected from Europe, young people, artists, craftspeople and interested volunteers from two different cultures will come together in joint workshops to create collective works. Oral history research in Odunpazarı will produce a digital memory map, and a public exhibition of the joint productions will be held in the closing phase.
By delivering three layers of sustainable outputs, namely art, memory and a policy recommendation paper on local cultural policies, the project aims to take CSO-local government cooperation to the international level.
In the Footsteps of Urban Memory” is a 10-12 month cultural cooperation project that aims to make the historical heritage of Eskişehir and a partner city in Europe visible through traditional arts. Coordinated by the Eskişehir Art Association, with the participation of Odunpazarı Municipality, the project will use meerschaum carving, ebru (paper marbling) and miniature painting as tools for exploring urban memory.
Through an international mobility programme with a culture and arts CSO and a municipality to be selected from Europe, young people, artists, craftspeople and interested volunteers from two different cultures will come together in joint workshops to create collective works. Oral history research in Odunpazarı will produce a digital memory map, and a public exhibition of the joint productions will be held in the closing phase.
By delivering three layers of sustainable outputs, namely art, memory and a policy recommendation paper on local cultural policies, the project aims to take CSO-local government cooperation to the international level.
Expected roles of the Europe-based partner CSO (culture and arts civil society organisation) in the application form and during project activities:
Joint Project Design: Provide institutional support in the budget and activity planning stage of the project in their own country.
Access to Cultural Actors: Involve local artists, traditional craftspeople and cultural professionals from their own city in the project.
Preparation of the European Workshop: Take on the organisation of the short-term mutual learning and experience-sharing programme to be held in their own country.
Joint Artistic Production: Lead the collective production process of 1-2 day joint artistic workshops, bringing together elements of two different cultures.
Digital Content Production: Prepare their own cultural content and archive for the bilingual (Turkish-English) digital urban memory selection to be published at the end of the project.
Common Ground: Generations Connected Through Art
We propose a cross-cultural initiative connecting communities in Romania and Türkiye through participatory arts, intergenerational storytelling and creative collaboration.
The project will bring together children, young people, adults and seniors, including people from disadvantaged backgrounds, to explore shared experiences, cultural identities and local traditions through theatre, music, visual arts and community workshops.
Working with cultural organisations and local municipalities, we aim to create inclusive spaces where different generations can learn from one another, develop creative skills and build meaningful connections.
The project will culminate in community-based artistic events and the exchange of participatory methodologies between Romanian and Turkish partners.
Building on I Can Help Association’s experience in arts-based education and intergenerational programmes, the initiative seeks to demonstrate how culture can strengthen social cohesion, encourage active participation and bring communities closer together.
We are looking for a cultural organisation in Türkiye to act as the lead applicant and co-develop the project with I Can Help Association.
The Turkish partner would contribute its knowledge of the local cultural landscape, community needs and artistic practices, while coordinating the application and implementation in Türkiye.
We envision a genuine collaboration involving the co-design of participatory artistic activities, engagement of local artists and community groups, cooperation with a Turkish municipality, and organisation of intercultural workshops and public events.
I Can Help Association would contribute its experience in arts-based education, intergenerational programmes, community engagement and inclusive cultural events, while supporting activities in Romania and facilitating collaboration with local stakeholders.
We welcome partners interested in jointly shaping the concept and developing a sustainable model of cultural cooperation between our communities.
As a port city we are essentially interested in the cultural and economic transformation of coastal cities, facing post-industrial and environmental challenges. Cultural policy and citizen co-creation.
A sincere concern for citizen empowerment and interest in developing cultural creation and events in a harbour context. Obviously a Turkish local government collaborating with artistic initiatives.
The project will establish a cultural platform connecting Turkish and Albanian municipalities through theatre, youth creativity, and community participation.
Over 12 months, two theatre laboratories will engage 30 young artists (15 from each country) to jointly develop a bilingual theatrical production inspired by shared cultural heritage and contemporary social challenges.
The production will be presented through four public performances in Türkiye and Albania, accompanied by workshops involving at least 100 young people.
A three-day intercultural arts festival in Türkiye will showcase theatre, music, and visual arts from both countries.
Additionally, two municipality–civil society roundtables will develop recommendations for inclusive local cultural programming.
The project will deliver one joint theatrical production, four performances, one cultural festival, two policy roundtables, and a digital collection documenting the collaboration. These activities will strengthen cross-border partnerships, promote intercultural understanding, and encourage sustainable cultural cooperation between Türkiye and Albania.
We are seeking a Turkish cultural non-profit organisation willing to act as the Lead Applicant and actively collaborate in the development and implementation of the project under the ORTAKLAŞA EU–Türkiye Cultural Partnership Call (IPA III).
The partner is expected to contribute its expertise in cultural management, theatre, artistic production, and community engagement, while coordinating project activities in Türkiye.
Key contributions would include jointly developing the project concept and application, facilitating cooperation with a Turkish municipality, identifying local artists and cultural professionals, and coordinating theatre laboratories, public performances, and the intercultural arts festival.
The organisation would also contribute to project management, communication, financial coordination, and sustainability planning.
The Liberal Institute Pashko (ILP) will actively support proposal development, partnership coordination, and implementation of activities in Albania, ensuring a balanced and mutually beneficial collaboration.
Who Owns The City? – A Participatory Photography Game for Cultural Inclusion.
This project brings together young people and local communities in Türkiye and Germany to collaboratively create a photography-based card game exploring cultural participation, belonging and access to public spaces.
Through photography workshops, creative storytelling and participatory game design, participants will investigate who feels represented in their city, which cultural spaces are accessible, and what barriers prevent people from participating in cultural life.
Their photographs, personal experiences and collective ideas will become the foundation of an interactive game featuring visual cards, scenarios, challenges and collaborative decision-making.
The project will include international exchanges, community workshops, public game-testing events and dialogue with local municipalities.
The final game will be made available to cultural organisations, youth centres and municipalities as a creative educational tool supporting inclusive cultural participation and community dialogue.
We are looking for a Türkiye-based cultural civil society organisation interested in jointly developing and implementing a participatory artistic project.
The partner would contribute local knowledge, identify and engage young participants and community groups, coordinate activities in Türkiye, and co-design the project’s creative methodology. Production of the final game can be made in both countries.
Together, we would organise photography workshops, collaborative game-design sessions, cultural exchanges and public events. The partner would also support relationships with local cultural institutions and municipalities, ensuring that the game reflects real community experiences and contributes to discussions about cultural accessibility.
The Art of Being You e.V., based in Berlin, would contribute expertise in participatory photography, creative education, facilitation, coaching-based methodologies and artistic game development.
We seek a partner committed to shared decision-making, inclusive cultural practices and developing a sustainable educational resource that can be used beyond the project’s duration.
Memory of Maraş: Reconnecting through Culture
Our project aims to safeguard the cultural memory of Kahramanmaraş, which was affected by the 6 February earthquakes, to increase the visibility of local cultural heritage, and to support young people’s active participation in cultural and artistic production. With the involvement of young people, local craftspeople and cultural actors, the city’s traditional arts, oral history narratives, handicrafts and urban memory will be documented. Through photography, short documentaries, digital storytelling and collaborative artistic production, this body of knowledge will be reinterpreted in contemporary forms of expression. Through cooperation between cultural institutions in Türkiye and Europe, the project aims to organise joint workshops, cultural exchange activities and exhibitions. The project will contribute to the transmission of cultural heritage between generations, to young people’s participation in cultural life, and to the development of a sustainable cultural dialogue between cities.
Expected roles of the Europe-based partner CSO (culture and arts civil society organisation) in the application form and during project activities:
Joint Project Design: Provide institutional support in the budget and activity planning stage of the project in their own country.
Access to Cultural Actors: Involve local artists, traditional craftspeople and cultural professionals from their own city in the project.
Preparation of the European Workshop: Take on the organisation of the short-term mutual learning and experience-sharing programme to be held in their own country.
Joint Artistic Production: Lead the collective production process of 1-2 day joint artistic workshops, bringing together elements of two different cultures.
Digital Content Production: Prepare their own cultural content and archive for the bilingual (Turkish-English) digital urban memory selection to be published at the end of the project.
We would like to organise an art biennial that makes space for artists working in photography and digital art and aims to help them contribute to the fabric of the city.
For this biennial, which aims to keep the city’s cultural dynamics current and lively, we expect support in creating venues and strengthening artist participation.
We would like to organise an art biennial that makes space for artists working in photography and digital art and aims to help them contribute to the fabric of the city.
For this biennial, which aims to keep the city’s cultural dynamics current and lively, we expect support in creating venues and strengthening artist participation.
