Franco-German cultural fund: 2021 recipients
Updated on 22/01/2021
37 cultural and artistic projects, designed and carried out in close collaboration with local structures by French and German diplomatic networks, will be supported in 2021 around the world.
The Franco-German cultural fund was established in 2003 for the 40th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty. It aims to encourage collaboration between these two countries and a country outside the EU in a cultural dimension. Each year, new initiatives illustrate the wealth a tripartite and complementary cooperation such as this has.
For five years, themed orientations are proposed for each edition. Three were chosen in 2021: Solidarity, Culture and sustainable development and Creativity.
- Solidarity
Whereas 2020 was marked by social and physical distancing measures, this theme is the opportunity to understand new solidarity mechanisms and emerging social interactions.
- Culture and sustainable development
2020 was also the year culture was included on the international agenda for sustainable development by the UN. Culture has been recognised as an element across all sustainable development policies and the only means to enable inclusive and fair development that’s centred on humans.
- Creativity
The unprecedented crises related to the health situation have also been an accelerating factor in changes to working practices and social interaction. This has be the result of much creativity. This theme thereby enables new cultural practices to be addressed and the emergence of new cultural and creative actors to emerge, very often marked by heavy “digitisation”.
The projects retained that are part of the “Solidarity” theme are:
- “Caricature and freedom of expression: France-Germany meeting of minds”
an idea debating project supported by the German Embassy and the Institut français in Austria. The aim of the project will be to exchange, in the presence of French and German caricaturists, sociologists, legal advisors and in collaboration with Austrian partners to contribute to the consolidation of the European public space, pillar of fully completed European construction.
- “How can solidarity be reinforced in Europe? The solidarity shown with Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war from 1992-1995, and what it means today”
a multidisciplinary project supported by the Goethe-Institut and the Institut français of Bosnia and Herzegovina. An exhibition will be organised, including a round table and educational workshops, on concrete examples of solidarity initiatives in France and Germany and the role of Bosnia and Herzegovina players.
- “Unid@s por las Artes Vivas, Together with Living Arts”
a multidisciplinary project supported by the Casa Humboldt, the German Embassy and the German Network in Ecuador, the Colegio Aleman and the Alliance française of Quito. Solidarity with migrants, Ecuadorian young people and the elderly will be stimulated by turning to the art of being a clown, theatre, street arts and dance.
- “The right to information in a health crisis”
an idea-debating project supported by the Goethe-Institut and the Institut français in Hungary. It will enable a space to be created for discussing the right to information in a health crisis with the general public, but also to train young reporters and documentary makers.
- “Networking and its power in times of crisis”
a multidisciplinary project supported by the Goethe-Institut and the Institut français in Nigeria. It will support putting Nigerians into contact with each other by offering dedicated digital workshops.
Projects for the “Culture and sustainable development”, “Creativity” and “Off-theme” categories will be presented at a later date.
The Franco-German cultural fund has a budget of €500,000. It is managed by the German Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Institut français, in consultation with the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Goethe-Institut.