Deadline: 26 August 2025
Do you, as a designer, want to develop a new perspective on a current social challenge in the field of nature conservation, climate, circular economy, energy transition, housing, geopolitics, democracy, polarization, migration or social and opportunity inequality? The Creative Industries Stimulation Fund is excited to invite designers, architects, makers and observers to carry out a project together with a partner who has committed to a social objective, aimed at a close knit and resilient society.
Purpose
- With the open call, the incentive fund supports designers and makers in developing new perspectives on social, political and economic issues.
- The fund stimulates cross-sector collaborations in which makers, designers and architects can come up with new and surprising products, services, knowledge, approaches or applications together with other organisations.
- The call contributes to promoting the use of design power in social challenges, one of the objectives of the incentive fund.
Funding Information
- The total available budget of the open call is €600,000.
- €10,000 is available for a maximum of ten projects per project.
- Duration: The start-up phase lasts a maximum of five months and will run between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- Designers, architects, makers and observers who have had their own practice for at least three years within the disciplines of design, digital culture and/or architecture can submit an application. Collectives and duos are also welcome.
- Collaboration with at least one partner working in another field or domain outside the creative industry is mandatory. Think of knowledge institutions, archives, labs, platforms and/or other types of social organizations.
Application Requirements
- A project plan (max. 5 pages). In a concise project plan, you provide insight into the intended goal and the design of the first phase. Provide explanations on the following aspects:
- Subject: What is the central task of the proposal? Place the subject within current developments and explain the social relevance of the project.
- Action plan: Describe the activities that will be carried out in the first phase undertaken. How are you going to set up this phase?
- Motivation: What can the project mean for your practice and what possible contribution can you make to the approach of the assignment?
- Collaboration: Who will you collaborate with and what is the position of the partner(s) in relation to the social challenge?
- A brief planning (max. 1 page);
- CVs of the applicant and collaboration partner(s) (max. 2 pages per partner);
- A portfolio with recent and relevant images of the applicant (max. 10 pages);
- A letter of intent from the collaboration partner(s).
For more information, visit Creative Industries Fund.
