Gulliver’s Connect 2005
Mobility and Arts Work Placement Programme

Following and building on the positive experience from the past four programmes of Gulliver’s Connect, the Felix Meritis Foundation in Amsterdam, NCDO in Amsterdam and KulturKontakt in Vienna, are happy to announce the launch of the Gulliver’s Connect 2005 Programme.

Although a number of practical changes have taken place the basic aims in the new programme remain the same:
* to facilitate collaborative partnerships between arts practitioners from neighbouring countries in Central and Eastern Europe, includign the former Soviet Union.
* to encourage the process of ’learning from practice’

There are approximately 20 bursaries available of approximately 1500 Euro each. Thanks to the financial support of Kultur Kontakt, additional bursaries for Austria have been made available. The bursary covers the work placement costs of travel, accommodation and a daily allowance for period of between 3 and with a maximum of 6 weeks, if feasible within the budget.

The deadline for completed applications is December 15, 2004.
All applicants will be informed by the end of January 2005.
The work placements can take place until the end of August 2005.

PRESENTATION

Grants for working placements for art practitioners from Central and Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union.

The aim of the working placement programme is to
i) promote international co-operation between young arts practitioners
ii) act as a catalyst for international collaboration in the arts
iii) encourage the ’learning by doing’ experience as an alternative career development
iv) support cross-border partnerships and an informal "Connect Community"
v) shape the policy development of civil society at a local level

Visitors
The Gulliver’s Connect programme attracts visitors who have 2 - 3 years working experience in project co-ordination, arts development or management at the local/regional level in their country and who wish to extend their possibilities and give an international dimension to their work. The visitors must prove themselves capable of initiating his/her own learning experience.

Hosts
The hosts are arts and cultural organisations who seek new professional relationships. They must be open to the idea of hosting an international arts practitioner and be committed to the careful planning of the work placement.
For Western European organisations this possibility offers a goldmine of opportunities for cultural co-operation, partnership and long-term projects in East Europe and beyond.

Artistic scope of the participants
* performing arts
* visual arts
* (new) media
* art management
* film

The geographical scope of the programme’s participants is Central and Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union.