One of the ways of providing support to the cultural scene of Novi Sad is to raise the capacity of cultural institutions, organisations and associations, which are being implemented through EU funds as well. The programme narrative of the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture’ Foundation – people create new, long-term processes, key to the city’s cultural life that emerge new programmes and spaces is seen exactly through projects with a European dimension, enabling easier access to EU funds for cultural actors of the city.

At the moment, five European projects, covering various spheres, from supporting and promoting the involvement of the Roma community and women’s rights and creativity, through cultural heritage and tourism, to the promotion of circus art and the creation of new platforms, are awaiting implementation.

The idea of ​​the project ‘Danube region for Improved Access and Empowerment of Roma Development – DREAM ROAD’ is to improve the digital, information and functional literacy of the Roma through participatory development. The organisations from Serbia that are partners in the project are the Know How Centre and the Office for Roma Inclusion. The project was approved within the ‘INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme’. The main applicant is the Research and Educational Centre Mansion Rakičan, and 21 other organisations are participating, including the ‘Novi Sad 2021 – European Capital of Culture’ Foundation. The total budget of the project is EUR 2.072.267,40, while the total budget of project partners in Serbia is EUR 180.927,40.

‘Europe’s Women’s Remembrance – REWOMEN’ is the project that will mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as part of the international exhibition dedicated to the history of the Women’s Liberation Movement in Europe. The aim of the project that was approved within the Europe for Citizens programme is to strengthen women’s rights by increasing the visibility of history of women in Europe by developing international women’s solidarity. The main applicant is the Archives of Vojvodina and in addition to the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture’ Foundation, 16 other organisations from 10 countries are participating. The total budget of the project is EUR 98.280,00.

The ‘Famous Women in Science and Culture: Experience Design through Joint Cultural Tourism Route and Product Development in Serbia-Hungary Cross-Border Region – WSCRoute’ project also puts women’s rights and creativity into focus. The project deals with the issue of insufficient promotion and recognition of the cultural heritage of eminent women in the cross-border area of ​​Hungary and Serbia. The aim of the project is to strengthen and diversify the cross-border tourist offer through the creation of a common tourist route that connects famous women in the field of science and culture. The tourist route will start in Novi Sad and end in Szeged, connecting significant places, museums and galleries. The project was approved within the third call of the INTERREG IPA HU-SRB programme, and the main applicant is the Museum of the City of Novi Sad. The total budget of the project is EUR 463.06,00, while the budget of the Museum of the City of Novi Sad is EUR 246.064,00.

The ‘Boosting European Trends and Artists in Circus Arts – BETA CIRCUS’ project deals with new trends in contemporary circus and creating opportunities for artists to train on a professional level. At the same time, the main goal is to develop an audience that will be able to get acquainted with new performative concepts. The project was approved within the Creative Europe programme, while the ‘Novi Sad 2021 – European Capital of Culture’ Foundation is an associated partner. The main applicant is ‘Be a Place’ from Portugal, and the project partners come from Italy, Latvia and Serbia. Our country is represented by the Ludifico Centre for Development of Circus Arts. The total budget of the project is EUR 320.867,00, while the budget of the partner from Serbia is EUR 48.440,00.

The EYE NET 2.0 project (European Youth Engagement Network 2.0), approved within the Europe for Citizens programme, aims to bring the political history, values ​​and problems of the European Union closer to young people, through the use of arts and culture as tools for non-formal education. The intention is to improve the quality of culture, political awareness, critical thinking and international solidarity of young people. One theatre play in the partner countries and eight performances on specific topics: the migrant crisis, women’s rights, Euroscepticism, solidarity, fake news, ecology, anti-fascism and the economy will be produced during the project. In addition to the Foundation as the lead partner, 15 organisations from 10 countries take part in the project. Total amount of allocated funds is EUR 148,680.00.