The power to create. The power to propose. The power to make it happen.

One of the goals of the Ponta Delgada – Azores candidacy for the European Capital of Culture is to encourage the implementation of inspiring ideas for local communities.

The 2nd edition of Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 Hand in Hand pilot project, in partnership with CRESAÇOR - Cooperativa Regional de Economia Solidária (Regional Solidarity Economy Cooperative), arose under  Cultural Strategy Ponta Delgada 2030 with the aim of challenging people, informal groups and associations of different activity sectors to submit small cultural, social and educational proposals that will take place on the 9 Azorean islands. Each proposal will receive a financial support of 1500 euros and should be implemented until the 31st of December 2023.

The proposals should promote one or more of the following strategic lines: cooperation and collaboration between islands and municipalities; rapprochement of generations; practices of inclusion, active participation and/or empowerment of different communities; relationship between culture and well-being, nature and sustainability; new ways of telling Azorean narratives to the country, to Europe and to the World.


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Proposals may have all imaginable formats, targeting the fields of social activation and education. They can relate to all fields of art and other activities that create culture in a broad sense, namely workshops, meetings, events, experiences, conversations, exhibitions, shows, poetic events, editions, city games, etc.

Hand in Hand is a community creation and empowerment project that opens the door to community leaders, coordinators, entertainers, artists, educators and activists from the Azores so that they take responsibility and create core initiatives that promote decentralisation, enhancement of our narratives and equal access to culture for different audiences.

From the 15th of August to the 15th of September, the applicants are invited to submit their ideas (and what motivates them) on the application form. After the submission deadline, a jury will analyse and select the nine most relevant proposals.




Regulation

1- WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND OF HAND IN HAND?

Hand in Hand is a pilot project of the Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 candidacy under Cultural Strategy Ponta Delgada 2030, in partnership with CRESAÇOR, that will support nine (9) projects (on a micro-financing basis) promoted by regional actors, including natural and legal persons residing and/or born in the archipelago, to be carried out in the region.

This pilot programme supports activities and projects that promote the cooperation and collaboration between islands and municipalities, the rapprochement of generations, the inclusion, active participation and/or empowerment of different communities, the relationship between culture and well-being, nature and sustainability and new ways of telling Azorean narratives to Europe and to the World. Hand in Hand was created to respond to some of these needs. By sharing resources (and financed through micro financial schemes), it targets to boost projects that link culture with other areas of society.

The submission of proposals is open until the 15th of September 2022 for activities taking place until the 31st of December 2022. Only one proposal per applicant will be accepted.

2- WHAT IS PONTA DELGADA– AZORES 2027? WHAT IS CRESAÇOR?

Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 is the candidacy of Ponta Delgada, and of the Azores archipelago as well, for the European Capital of Culture.

The main goal of Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 is that culture becomes a catalyst for change and development, through an increased and ongoing investment in the tourism, heritage, urban and social sectors. We want Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 to be a mirror of the European Union, creating a new centrality based on cultural democracy, dialogue, artistic experimentation and unity through diversity.

Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 seeks to reinforce the region’s cultural identities, unite and challenge regional actors around a common project, improve the regional and external cooperation and the international attractiveness of the region. Its mission is to organise the candidacy for the European Capital of Culture – a major inclusive, participatory and transformative cultural event with international visibility.

Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 has 9 mission goals:

  • to promote Ponta Delgada’s and the Azores’ cultural and artistic potential and increase their international visibility;     

  • to present an archipelagic cultural experience involving different  communities, starting from the city and taking the islands as stages through a cooperative cultural programme open to all and with a European dimension;          

  • to create a cultural exchange movement, democratic participation and mutual understanding, opening a bridge to Europe and to the Azorean diaspora;     

  • to develop a programme whose     theme and artistic framework are clear, but simultaneously independent, flexible, changeable and open to suggestions;

  • to reach new audiences through new forms of participation that empower, give voice, include, produce knowledge and make culture accessible to those who have no access to it;

  • to value our geography, history and heritage, in a European outermost region whose culture stems from its direct relationship with nature;

  • to bring art to nature and nature to art, assuming the responsibility for nature and its protection, in line with the international objectives of sustainable development;

  • to open up space for culture in the public sphere and strengthen identification links between society and culture;     

  • to increase and improve cultural, creative and transformative tourism in Ponta Delgada and in the Azores, and to work towards making this permanent.

Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 is reachable on www.azores2027.eu and social networks (Instagram/Facebook/Youtube): @pontadelgadaazores2027.
CRESAÇOR is seated on the island of São Miguel, but its areas of intervention cover the entire territory of the Azores. It was founded in 2000 within the scope of the Combat Poverty Project and by the creation of a programme for the development of Azorean enterprises offering socio-professional integration – the IDEIA Project, launched in 1999.

CRESAÇOR's mission is to promote Solidarity Economy and Local and Community Development in the Azores Region, sustaining (the) values of Cooperation, Identity, Sustainability, Place, Tradition, Culture, Environment and People. It’s overall objectives are:

  • To increase access to education, training and employment creation within the scope of the Social Employment Market and of the access to     Microcredit

  • To support the creation and sustainability of Solidarity Economy initiatives by promoting,     enhancing, marketing and distributing their products;

  • To provide economic and financial consultancy services aiming at the sustainability and autonomy of social inclusion micro-enterprises in particular.

3. WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT?

  • 15th of August 2022: launch of the call;    
  • 14th of September, at 18:00 (Azores local time): deadline for clarification requests via e-mail (info@azores2027.eu);      
  • 15th of September 2022, at 18:00 (Azores local time): deadline for the submission of applications;         
  • 1st of October 2022: announcement of the nine "Hand in Hand" selected proposals on the official Websites of Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 and CRESAÇOR;
  • 2nd of October 2022 - 31st of December 2022: deadline for the implementation of proposals.

NOTE: proposals submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. Once the proposal is submitted, no amendments to the presented documents will be allowed. The jury will only contact the nine chosen proposals (by email). They will be published on Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 and CRESAÇOR Websites.

4. WHAT ARE THE GENERAL CONDITIONS TO PARTICIPATE?

  • By participating in the "Hand in Hand" project, the applicants cede the right of reproducing their proposals’ materials (text and image), which are produced and disseminated both by the organisation and partners, for communication purposes ;
  • The copyright of the application’s materials should belong entirely, and without exception, to the applicants that submit them;
  • Participants not submitting or complying with all the requirements of this regulation will be excluded;
  • All situations not covered by the present regulation will be decided case by case by the Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 team and CRESAÇOR.

5. WHO CAN APPLY?

  • Natural and legal persons born and/or residing in the Azores, whose ideas are meant to be implemented in the archipelagic territory.

  • Applicants may be individuals, companies (limited liability companies), cooperatives or cultural associations. We remind you that the programme awards nine grants of 1500€ per project, already including the VAT rate in force, if applicable, and other charges, with no exceptions.

  • Each applicant may only submit one proposal.

6. WHAT TYPE OF PROPOSALS CAN BE SUBMITTED?

Proposals that promote one or more of the following strategic lines: cooperation and collaboration between islands and municipalities; rapprochement of generations; inclusion practices; active participation and/or empowerment of different communities; the relationship between culture and well-being, nature and sustainability; new ways of telling Azorean narratives to Europe and to the World.

Proposals may have all imaginable formats, targeting the fields of entertainment, social activation and education. They can relate to all fields of artistic expression and other activities that create culture in a broad sense: workshops, meetings, events, experiences, conversations, exhibitions, poetic events, editions, city games, residencies, publishing projects, green spaces, songs, etc.

7. WHAT ARE THE AMOUNTS TO BE AWARDED?

  • "Hand in Hand" has a total amount of 13.500,00 euros per year.

  • The programme awards nine grants of 1.500,00 euros per project (including the VAT rate in force, if applicable, and other charges).

  • The awards will be paid within 45 (forty-five) days after the results are announced, upon presentation of an invoice or receipt by the applicants.


8. WHO IS THE JURI? WHAT ARE THE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA?

  • The "Hand in Hand" jury is made up of three people: a member of the Advisory Board of Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027, a member of the Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 team, and a member of the Committee of Honour of Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027.
  • Proposals will be evaluated and ordered based on the one with the highest score and according to the following criteria, ranging from 1 to 10:
    • theme, rationale, originality and capacity to implement the proposal: 50%;
    • engagement of different communities and establishment of collaborations: 10%;
    • communication strategy: 10%;
    • estimated costs and reasonableness of the budget: 10%;
    • potential for continuing the project: 20%.
  • The Jury will evaluate the proposals in the light of the materials submitted by the applicants. Each proposal’s final classification will be calculated from the total votes of each criterion.
  • The Jury reserves the right to request additional information from the applicants.
  • There will be no appeal of the decision on the admission and selection of proposals by Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 and the Jury.

9. HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL?

  • Proposals should be submitted using the form available;
  • Applicants should include all mandatory elements of this regulation, as well as answer all the form questions;
  • Elements that should be included in the proposal:
    • Applicant’s identification: Name (as displayed in the valid national identity card); Biography (up to 1000 characters) in Portuguese and English; Address, telephone number and e-mail address; Tax Identification Number, Identity Card, IBAN, Website links, social networks and already developed projects;
    • Presentation of the proposal and rationale under the "Hand in Hand" objectives;
    • Activity plan (in line with the "Hand in Hand" implementation timetable);
    • Promotion - how the project will be disseminated and promoted: platforms and means to reach out its target audience;
    • Budget - the project’s financial implementation, information on where the money will be spent, as well as other possible revenues and/or sources of funding;
    • Permission for data management.
  • Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. Once the proposal is submitted, no amendments to the presented documents will be allowed.
  • The jury will only contact the nine chosen proposals (by email).

10. HOW SHOULD THE PROPOSALS BE PUBLISHED AND ANNOUNCED ON PONTA DELGADA - AZORES 2027’S WEBSITE AND SOCIAL NETWORKS?

  • The selected proposals should mention the support received from "Hand     in Hand" as follows: “Proposal developed with the support of Hand in Hand”, and include the logos of Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 – European Capital of     Culture – Candidate City and of CRESAÇOR – Cooperative of Solidarity Economy, according to its application rules;
  • The selected proposals should share images, texts and promotional materials about the implementation of the project with Ponta Delgada - Azores 2027 and     CRESAÇOR, so that it     can be extended, communicated and shared;     
  • The winning applicants will be part of a Webinar     taking     place at the end of 2022/beginning of 2023, at a date to be determined. The purpose of the Webinar     is that all the applicants     meet and share their projects through texts, images, videos and stories.

11. IS IT NECESSARY TO SUBMIT A REPORT AT THE END OF THE PROJECT?

Yes, after completing the proposals’ implementation, a simple report including photos, texts, videos, press clippings and/or materials on the project’s development must be submitted, demonstrating its budgetary execution through the presentation of expenditure (invoices and receipts).





FAQ'S

Do the 9 proposals selected by the Jury have to implement the whole project and activity plan between the 1st of October 2022 and the 31st of December 2023?
The presented dates serve as a reference to accomplish the projects, which means that the activities must take place in this period. If the activity plan goes beyond this period, the applicant must give such indication in the Activity Plan section of the form, identifying the activities that take place in the designated period and the activities that take place beyond this time.

Should Ponta Delgada win the European Capital of Culture title in 2027, will the projects continue to be developed, improved and referenced in the long term after these dates?
Micro-projects are always developed by the applicants. In this sense, it is their full responsibility to continue the implemented project.

If the projects continue and develop, does each project have 1500 euros available for the period between October 2022 and the 31st of December 2022?
There are 1500 euros available to fund the project between October 2022 and the 31st of December 2022. The continuity and development of the selected projects are not the responsibility of Ponta Delgada – Azores 2027 and CRESAÇOR, but of the applicant. It should be noted that the potential for the project’s continuity is one of the several evaluation criteria, but not the only one – as it can be read in point 8 of this regulation.