Kaunas 2022 hereby announces a public call for all organisations of Kaunas, Lithuania and abroad to contribute to the implementation of the programme of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 (hereby Kaunas 2022). Application deadline is 25 October 2019. The said applications to be submitted to Kaunas 2022 programme must feature proposals of organisations prepared in accordance with evaluation priorities and topics formulated in the Call.

Documents to download:

Rules of the Partnership

Questionnaire

Form for Estimated Costs (example)

 

GUIDLINES AND RULES OF AN OPEN CALL

Programme stages:

2020–2021 is the time of preparation, during which the cultural sector will network with other sectors and communities, carry out heritage and memory awareness-raising projects and rallying of the heritage community, increasing the accessibility of culture and cultural and art projects in various neighbourhoods of Kaunas City and Kaunas District, also creating a site-specific new legend of Kaunas and the new story of Kaunas through artistic means; 

Year 2022 – implementation of the European Capital of Culture artistic programme.

This call applies for continued activities for the period of 2020–2022 in Kaunas and Kaunas District that create a long-term impact for the region.

Aims of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 project

Through this partnership project and together with various cultural organisations, we expect to implement changes on a European scale with the purpose of making Kaunas and Kaunas District:

• a place of happy people and positive experiences, where local talents are appreciated;
• a community that can act and share, its residents are sensitive to the local heritage, proud of it and who participate creating the contemporary face of Kaunas City and Kaunas District;
• places where culture is accessible and available for everyone because of the friendly and sustainable solutions of infrastructure, creative public spaces and appealing content;
• a strong cultural sector: professional, visible, appreciated, socially responsible, networked on local and international levels, partner with social, educational, business and IT sectors and communities;
• a point of attraction for travellers: interesting because of its relevant contemporary culture and international projects of contemporary art, community art, design and interdisciplinary areas.

Structure of Kaunas 2022 programme and scope of the Call

The programme of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture (ECoC) is called “Contemporary Capital” and its slogan is „From Temporary to Contemporary”. This name expresses the process of creating the contemporary capital of Kaunas and Europe, focusing on the today’s values that bring the local and European societies together. The name of the programme draws attention to the fact that contemporary Kaunas and Europe that stem from the dynamic, meaningful and culturally rich history no longer find nostalgia enough. It is necessary to also discover, create and celebrate the contemporary identity, contemporary city and contemporary European culture.

The programme of Kaunas 2022 consists of 6 thematic programmes. Two additional parts of the programme – Tempo Academy of Culture and the Mythical Beast of Kaunas are implemented as integral to other programme parts of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022.

Each part of Kaunas 2022 is described in detail in Kaunas – European Capital of Culture bid book. This bid that has helped Kaunas to achieve the ECoC title is the main document guiding the implementation of the programme. Applicants are recommended to become acquainted with this document and formulate their own project proposals taking into consideration programme objectives outlined in it. When evaluating project applications, things taken into consideration will include how activities proposed will contribute to the realisation of  the aims introduced in all parts of the project, supplement and elaborate on the topics of project parts.

Link to the bid document.

 

Multicultural city programme Memory Office (field of the call)

The aim of the Memory Office programme is to awaken the multicultural memory of Kaunas City and its District, remember the rich history, encourage pride in oneself and the places we live in.

Memory Office programme is designed to remind us about the forgotten or omitted „little stories”. Collecting stories and memories of people of various ethnicities and religions (www.atmintiesvietos.lt), we want to create a unique map of city memories. However, looking back to the past, it is also important to ask what can we learn from the stories of the past? What can inspire us and, most importantly, what kind of city we want to have in the future?

We hope that these stories will help to understand ourselves better. Together it will serve as a source of inspiration for various cultural and art projects in 2022: performances, exhibitions, pieces of music and publications that will increase our respect for the other and for the different, for human rights and human dignity.

Initiatives anticipated: cultural projects of various disciplines that focus on the multicultural identity of Kaunas, personal and community stories, analysing shared historic experiences that connect Kaunas and other European cities and cultures, helping to better understand the development of the city of Kaunas and its District.

Things to be considered when evaluating the project: how does the project contribute to the development of understanding and mutual knowledge of different city cultural communities, European cultures and countries as well as the cultural diversity, participating ethnic communities, artistic quality of projects. 

Curator: Daiva Citvarienė / [email protected]
Coordinator: Justina Petrulionytė-Sabonienė [email protected]

 

Heritage programme Modernism for the Future (field of the Call)

The aim of the programme is to promote the relevance of modernist architectural heritage in Kaunas, Kaunas District, Lithuania and Europe, becoming an active member of the European modernist city network; increase awareness of local people about the modernism; rally the local community and professionals and join the international networks in order to present and open to Europe the modernist heritage of Kaunas and Kaunas District; create a contemporary vision of the city and its District through various creative means of heritage interpretation.

The title of the European Capital of Culture has given Kaunas and Kaunas District a powerful stimulus to create a success story of modernist heritage protection. There are over 6000 modernist buildings remaining from the interwar period in Kaunas and its District, yet a large part of it is in poor shape and does not receive the attention neither from the public nor the private sector. What can we do to change it? First of all, we have to strengthen the emotional connection between the City and District residents and the heritage, include small communities into the process of creative interpretation of architecture and the search for new values. In the programme of Kaunas 2022, modernism acts as a platform to create an optimistic and sustainable dialogue among the local community, heritage specialists, artists of various disciplines, IT and business sectors.

In the programme of Kaunas 2022, the modernism of Kaunas becomes an inspiration for gathering the communities of heritage, artists of various disciplines, new creations, as well as source of identity, dialogue and creativity. 

Initiatives anticipated: projects of art, culture and / or modern technologies, encouraging and revealing new values of the interwar modernism phenomenon of Kaunas and Kaunas District, creating new interpretations for the story of this heritage, revealing the connections and differences of Kaunas and other European cities and modernism around the world, encouraging residents from other countries and Lithuanian cities to discover the tangible and intangible modernist heritage of Kaunas.

Special call of the programme (activity):

KAUNAS MODERNISM 360/365. It is a programme of art residencies also designed to look for and create artistic interpretations of the phenomenon of modernism in Kaunas and its District and which is to be implemented by Kaunas 2022 in cooperation with various cultural operators. By 2023, the programme strives to „activate” up to 365 objects of interwar modernism in Kaunas and its District using various artistic means and instruments of modern technologies. The applicants are invited to offer projects based on the works by local or international artists, as well as their residencies and interdisciplinary projects that would create works of various disciplines inspired by the heritage of this period in Kaunas and its District.

When assessing the project applications, the following aspects will be taken into consideration: 

– how does the project content reveal the aesthetics of the artistic expression and variety of disciplines;
– openness: inclusion of local communities and opportunities created for the participation of local partners, those from other Lithuanian cities abroad or the creative sector;

– typological and stylistic diversity of objects of modernist heritage featured in the project (the aim is for the project to include the buildings of both the public and residential purposes, public spaces and for them to introduce stylistic variations and the meanings thereof) in both the City and the District;
– project ideas that solve and / or raise awareness about specific social, economic, etc. challenges (related to interwar modernist heritage), creative agenda for activating abandoned / forgotten places.

Curator: Viltė Migonytė-Petrulienė / [email protected]
Coordinator: Žilvinas Rinkšelis [email protected]

 

Design programme Designing Happiness (field of the Call)

The aim of the project is to strengthen the identity of Kaunas as a UNESCO Design City, raise awareness about the discipline of design as a means of sustainability and comfort, solutions that contribute to the well-being of society. 

Design is a relationship that helps to strengthen the bonds between the people and things, people and their environment, as well as humans and human connections. The more harmonious and sustainable the connection, the more happiness one can find inside and outside. The better the design, the better we recognise it and imagine the city, it becomes easier for us to find our way in it, we feel more dignity, it becomes easier for us to solve problems and find our way out of a sticky situation and all (urban) design disasters.

Kaunas 2022 invites to create traditions of good taste and mode of operation, increase the volume of authentic design (“from China to Local Village”), promote creative ethics and aesthetics, increase the number of creative operators – designers, develop the muscles” of empathy, ask and solve uncomfortable questions regarding how the city is comfortable and accessible to everyone.

Initiatives anticipated: Events that strengthen the identity of Kaunas as a participant of UNESCO Creative Cities Design Network (creative workshops, conferences, exhibitions of various areas of design like fashion, food, interior, auto, etc.); design objects for public spaces in Kaunas and Kaunas District improving the accessibility of spaces and events in them, their aesthetic and infrastructural quality, etc.

Special call of the programme for cultural organisations ACCESSIBILITY ENHANCEMENT (activity): 

Kaunas 2022 expands its primary meaning and speaks not only about creating conditions for disabled people to act in all areas of life and opportunity to use the resources, but also about the accessibility in general – it means honest and even opportunities for all people, irrespective of their abilities or disabilities, gender, age, citizenship and race to achieve and use various places and services independently without the help of other people. The aim of Designing Happiness programme is to activate organisations and institutions of Kaunas, festival operators and creators of culture to turn and face the Lithuanian society, create conditions for everyone to use the services and goods equally, participate in life and not to limit oneself. 

Anticipated initiatives: increasing accessibility to the goods of culture, art and creativity using various means and techniques of translations [translation into sign and foreign language, subtitling, audiovisual translation, etc.]; development of universal design in the facilities where organisations carry out their activities – improvement of sign and direction placement, improvement of the directions of the audience in cultural and art spaces and events; projects that reduce exclusion and increase inclusion (using Braille Alphabet, voice-activated software, etc.), projects improving information accessibility; organising employee training in organisations. 

When assessing the project applications, the following aspects will be taken into consideration:  sustainability of an event or a process, impact on the enhancement of the CCI sector in the region; good [accessibility-increasing] design solutions used for project content; openness – inclusion of the disabled, seniors, guests from abroad and other communities into the project preparation and implementation stages; establishing and developing cooperation with other cultural institutions and organisations operating in Kaunas and sustainability of projects; promoting the identity of Kaunas City as a Design City within the UNESCO Creative Cities network, i.e. internationalisation and dissemination. 

Curator: Jūratė Tutlytė / [email protected]

 

Youth programme Emerging Kaunas (field of the Call)

The future of Europe and Kaunas is in the hands of the young generation. They are the ones who are going to create the right society of the future. Our shared duty is to help the young generation to develop their skills and create a city in which they want to live, work and start families. This platform is a reaction to the increasing emigration of youth from Kaunas to more thriving and dynamic places of Europe. Emerging Kaunas is a long-term strategy to involve youth to the processes of the creation of culture in the city and the district that helps them to create a place, where they would like to stay.

The aim of this programme is to create new opportunities for the young generation to create and express their ideas, enable young people to contribute to the changes in the city and building the future, cultivating their leadership skills and encouraging active participation of youth in the cultural and civic life in Kaunas City and its District.

Creators of the vision and the content of Emerging Kaunas programme is the young generation. The participants of Kaunas Challenge programme of Kaunas 2022 and other youth initiatives of Kaunas 2022 will be trusted with creating the main event dedicated for the youth in 2022 and its implementation. 

Another mission of Emerging Kaunas is to encourage the connections between the sectors of culture and education, ensure the dissemination of projects of Kaunas 2022 and other cultural institutions in kindergartens and schools, contribute to developing innovative tools of art and culture and programmes for babies, toddlers, school students and other groups of youth.

Initiatives anticipated: projects encouraging the participation of young generation in cultural projects, developing creative and civic expression of the young generation, new educational projects, activities that strengthen connection with the network of educational institutions, activities dedicated to the young generation – babies and their parents.

When assessing the project applications, the following aspects will be taken into consideration: opportunities created by the project for the expression of youth, strengthening cooperation between the sectors of culture and education, inclusion of children and a variety of youth age groups.

Curator: Evelina Šuscickytė / [email protected]
Coordinator: Aurelija Prašmuntaitė [email protected]

 

Community programme We, the People (field of the Call)

It is a programme that promotes the sense of community through culture. Its aims are to enable different communities to cherish their culture and become hospitable local hosts that share culture with Kaunasians, Lithuanians and Europeans. The aim of the programme is to activate the communities, help to reveal their cultural local potential, encourage participatory culture, strengthen the civic activeness making decisions and creating / cherishing the local culture, encourage the critical thinking, responsibility for oneself and others, expanding the horizons of artistic and cultural views.

Initiatives anticipated: artistic and creative activities encouraging the participation of new members (of different communities) and their active participation in culture and civic life (promotion of the sense of community); encouraging resident participation in the creation of their environment and improvement as well as promoting the understanding of the identity (exceptionality of the location and identity); initiating connections and sustainable partnerships of different sectors; initiating cooperation among local and international artists working and creating with local communities; encouraging cross-cultural and international cooperation (priority areas – former and existing European Capitals of Culture, communities of twin cities); encouraging initiatives of various subcultures and industrial culture; initiating activities oriented towards residents of riverbanks also activation of forgotten / abandoned places.

When assessing the partnership project applications, the following aspects will be taken into consideration:
– how does the project content reveal the interdisciplinarity (variety of disciplines);
– promotion of cooperation in various sectors and looking for sustainable models;
– application of the principles of co-creation, participatory and community art;
– involvement of local and foreign artists;
– how does the project encourage sense of community and civic-mindedness, responsibility for a specific (public) space;
– project ideas that solve and / or raise awareness about specific social, economic, etc. challenges (related to communities);
– creative scenarios to activate abandoned / forgotten places (through soft, artistic activities).

Curator: Greta Klimavičiūtė-Minkštimienė / [email protected]
Coordinator: Stefanija Paulauskaitė (Fluxus Labs) [email protected]

Curator of regional partnerships and “Upynės” Programme: Viltė Migonytė Petrulienė / [email protected]
Coordinator of regional partnerships: Augustina Kinderytė / [email protected]

 

Mythical Beast of Kaunas (field of the Call)

Programme for uniting and captivating story of Kaunas and Kaunas District. When implementing the programme, local residents are encouraged to participate in the creation of the contemporary legend of Kaunas and its District. Various forms of the legend will be presented in 2022 during the major events. The events will be designed to gather local and foreign audience. The Mythical Beast is presented in this legend as a metaphor for the city energy and power. The story of the Beast will become an important part of the collective consciousness of the city.  

The structural scheme of the Mythical Beast of Kaunas, useful links and main guidelines can be found here.

More information about the Mythical Beast of Kaunas and stories accompanying it can be found on the website: www.kaunolegenda.lt 

Anticipated initiatives: introduction of the new myth of Kaunas in the European mythological context through visual works and works of public art, projects of landscape design and public art, literature, stage arts, musical pieces, comics, games and other forms of art. 

Things to be considered when evaluating the project include the connection of the project with places of implementation and opportunities to synchronise the New Myth with local legends; how projects proposed help develop / activate public spaces of Kaunas and Kaunas District; how local communities participate in project development, playfulness, interactivity and appeal of project’s content to the residents of the City and District as well as Lithuanian and foreign guests, also opportunities created by the project to develop marketing campaigns.

Curator: Rytis Zemkauskas / [email protected]
Coordinator: Indrė Aleksandravičiūtė [email protected]

 

Wake it, Shake it, a programme of partnerships within the cultural sector (field of the Call)

Project aim: to establish a network of cultural partnerships among local and Lithuanian, Baltic region and European associations, encourage cultural institutions to look back at the contemporary audiences. This programme is implemented by initiating regular meetings, discussions, international exchange of the cultural sector and implementing open calls for cultural organisations, this one included, to join Kaunas 2022 programme. This field of the Call provides an opportunity for projects that are related to different areas of the call and activities of Kaunas 2022 programme that expand or supplement the aforementioned programme parts of Kaunas 2022. 

Initiatives anticipated: projects that supplement the aforementioned parts of the programme and connections between those parts; organisation of cultural projects (festivals and regular events) of programme parts and in programming schedules of cultural institutions tailored specifically for the ECoC year; projects developing partnerships between cultural institutions – joint activities of content, communication and other campaigns; projects expanding partnerships between cultural and other sectors (education, business, science and innovations).

Special evaluation criteria: When evaluating project applications, the following will be taken into consideration: artistic quality and international significance of activities proposed, their appeal for the international audience, uniqueness and sustainability of partnerships between cultural institutions from different sectors, plans for communication and production, strategy of audience development.

Curator: Agnė Burovienė / [email protected]

Rules for becoming a Partner of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022

     1. Concepts used in the rules

The Call to submit the applications (hereinafter the Call) is a document that specifies areas and priorities of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 partner projects as well as the requirements for costs and project quality, estimated outcomes, requirements for applications, project evaluation criteria, procedure for submitting the applications and other necessary documents. 

Working group of partnership project evaluation (hereinafter the PEG) is formed in accordance with the decree issued by the Director of Kaunas 2022. It consists of Kaunas 2022 employees, experts of the municipalities of Kaunas City and Kaunas District as well as external experts. Its aim is to evaluate the projects taking into consideration the project evaluation criteria, suggest amount of the budget allocated for the coproduction of Kaunas European Capital of Culture programme, prepare project application evaluation reports and submit information about project evaluation to the Director of Kaunas 2022 VšĮ.

Application of partnership programme is a document submitted by the applicant that aims to become a partner of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 programme.

The Applicant is a legal entity that plans to implement the project in cooperation with Kaunas 2022 VšĮ.

Project – the entirety of purposeful activities taking place within a specified period of time, the aim of which is to develop a unique product or a service. 

Period of project implementation – a period at the beginning of which project activities must be started and at the end of which they must be finished.

Partner of the partnership project (hereinafter the Partner) is an Applicant that has entered into the joint activity agreement with Kaunas 2022 VšĮ regarding joint project implementation.

Parts – parts of partnership projects based on the aims of programmes of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022.

Activities – activities that the Applicant has listed in its Application as the ones to be implemented.

Joint Activity Agreement is an agreement drawn between the Applicant and Kaunas 2022 VšĮ regarding the implementation of joint partnership project.

     2. Submission of partnership programme applications

Project applications shall be submitted in accordance with the procedure and by the deadlines provided in these regulations. Project applications shall be submitted by 25 October 2019 (inclusive) by email [email protected], with subject APPLICATION_organisation.

The Applicant shall fill the application in accordance with the procedure established in the Call. The application must be submitted with documents specified. The Applicant shall be responsible for the accuracy of the information provided in the application. 

The same Applicant can submit only one Application for the partnership project that consists of unlimited number of activities in accordance with fields of the programme listed in the Call. A project for each different field of the call shall be filled in a separate questionnaire. 

When the deadline for submission ends, the Applicants cannot initiate the provision of amendments, clarifications, add other information or documents related to the application.

Period to implement the Activities listed in Project Applications: 1 April 2020 – 31 December 2022 (inclusive). The applications can be submitted for the total or a part of the period established.

The applications can be submitted in Lithuanian or English.

The applications shall be submitted until 25 October 2019, 24:00 inclusive. 

     3. Requirements for the Applicants

Applications to become partners of Kaunas 2022 can be submitted by all legal entities registered in Lithuania.  

Foreign organisations can also participate in the Call with partner rights, but the main partner of the project must be registered in Lithuania.

Activities of partnership projects must take place in Kaunas City and its District or elsewhere in Lithuania or abroad, provided the project is dedicated to promote Kaunas 2022 programme and are in line with programme’s criteria and values.

     4. Filling the applications

If you want to submit the application, please send the following documents: Questionnaire of the applications (to be filled for each activity separately) and the Form for Estimated Costs (to be filled for all activities). 

Provide the necessary information and save the document.

Applicants choose for which fields of the programme to submit their proposals. Submissions for each different programme field or activity are to be filled in a separate questionnaire which thus forms one application. One preliminary Form for Estimated Costs is to be filled for all activities. 

Please send the completed questionnaire by email at: [email protected] before the deadline (25 October 2019).

Applicants can register for a consultation regarding filling the application. Consultations are provided by the employees of Kaunas 2022 VšĮ during the period of the Call on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.00 AM to 6.00 PM. Registration available at: [email protected].

     5. Evaluation of applications

Project evaluation shall be coordinated by Kaunas 2022 VšĮ.

Applications shall be submitted by a working group of the following composition: Kaunas 2022 VšĮ representatives, a representative of Kaunas City Municipality, a representative of Kaunas District Municipality, external experts confirmed by the decree of the Director of Kaunas 2022. The chair of the group shall be the Director of Kaunas 2022 VšĮ. 

Members of the working group shall assess the applications received in accordance with 8 application evaluation criteria: 

1) European dimension (15 points)
Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 is an initiative supported by the European Commission, with great focus on intercultural relations of Europe, the dialogue, promotion of a better mutual understanding, emphasising the diversity of European cultures and European values.

Activities of a programme partner should contribute to encouraging the European aspect of Kaunas 2022:

• emphasis on the common aspects of the European culture and relevant topics;
• strengthening the aspect of common European identity in one’s region, encouraging the cultural diversity;
• establishing new and encouraging the existing partnerships and cultural exchange with other European countries, cities, communities, artists, organisations and their networks.

In 2022, Kaunas will share its title of the European Capital of Culture with a city in Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette. When developing the Kaunas 2022 programme, partnerships and cultural exchange with cultural and art institutions of Esch-sur-Alzette are encouraged.

Initiatives encouraged: 

• introduction of European artists and cultural projects in Kaunas and its District;
• activities that contribute to the development of cultural relations in Europe;
• exchange of artists or other cultural exchange with other European cities;
• projects that reflect various topics important for Europe;
• projects that create connections among the European communities and cities, encouraging mutual help and dialogue among European communities and countries that have different experiences;
• raising awareness about events, people and stories that unite Europe, etc.

2) Project impact and sustainability (15 points)
The project Kaunas – European Capital of Culture has an end but it is oriented towards long-term results. Therefore, activities and projects of Kaunas 2022 prioritised include the ones that have a long-term effect and can be continued later on. 

Projects encouraged are not only the ones that solve local challenges, but the ones relevant for the European society, are oriented towards creating positive changes, benefits for local communities or a city.

When preparing applications for partnership projects, organisers are also encouraged to take a look at various aspects of sustainability and assess the possibility to continue them: does the project have alternative sources of funding? Will the right results enable continuation of the project? For example, if during a project a special website is developed, who is going to take care of its maintenance once the project is over? If new educational programmes are developed, will they be continued after the project? If a project is prepared together with partners, will this partnership be continued in order to continue the project? Does the applicant plan to continue the work with the audience(s) targeted by the project?

3) Audience development and involvement (20 points)
One of the priorities of Kaunas 2022 programme – encouraging society’s involvement in culture. It is expected that project implementation will result in significant increase in both number of the residents of Kaunas and Kaunas District using cultural services and resident satisfaction in cultural services. 

When assessing the applications, suggestions of organisers and innovations regarding a more active society’s participation in culture will be taken into consideration. 

Activities encouraged:

• audience research, surveys, workshops that aim to identify the needs of the specific groups of society, obstacles to participate in the activities organised by cultural organisations and look for innovative ways to develop the audience;
• volunteering and active participation of residents implementing Kaunas 2022 programme;
• projects that encourage the attraction of new audiences to the activities of the cultural institution;
• means and activities developing the attendance of cultural institutions / events;
• new ways to animate the cultural content, innovations and means to develop audiences;
• cultural programmes in new public spaces;
• decentralisation of cultural services, development of the initiatives of community culture;
• cultural initiatives in the implementation and solution-making of which active role is taken by local residents;
• improving access to existing cultural services and events and development of new initiatives of cultural services / products based on the principles of universal design, Design for All* and accessibility.

* Design for All. The idea of Design for All unites not only the European but the global practice as well, which is oriented towards improving the quality of life based on the principles of Design for All. Design for All takes a holistic approach, based on the values of the universal and inclusive design oriented at the consumer needs. The aim is that all the environment, things and services would be accessible for every person irrespective of their health, appearance, social status or other things. Design for All is a movement for humanity and humanistic values, that employs design and design thinking to solve current and future challenges (like migration, ageing society, social exclusion, etc.). It has been noticed that disability is only one part of the agenda of social inclusion. The emphasis falls on the respect for consumer diversity, safety, health, encouragement to use of healthy environment and spaces, their functionality, smartness, sustainability, accessibility and appeal.

When cooperating with local and international partners, Kaunas 2022 VšĮ has prepared guidelines for the cultural field experts to improve the accessibility to cultureal services. Partners submitting applications are encouraged to take into consideration recommendations introduced in this document and ensure the maximum accessibility to the content developed for the programme as well as its adaptability for all age groups.

4) Development of partnerships (10 points)
It is expected that Kaunas European Capital of Culture will encourage new partnerships among cultural organisations, different sectors as well as the international partnerships. When evaluating the applications submitted by organisers, things to take into consideration will include new opportunities for local and international partnerships created by the project among non-profit organisations / sectors that would encourage organisation, help to establish a connection with new audiences, provide new perspective for future activities and development of organisation.

5) Innovativeness and contextuality of the project (20 points)
The projects encouraged are the ones that comply with the thematic areas of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022, its vision and slogan and offer new, interdisciplinary innovations or artistic content that has not been introduced in Kaunas / Lithuania before, encourages relevant contemporary creative practice, achieves new technological solutions, experimental methodologies and approaches, encourages the growth of the demand of professional art and culture in Kaunas City and its District, opportunities of improvement for the community of local cultural and art professionals, as well as new opportunities for local artists and creators. When evaluating the project based on this criteria, things to also take into consideration include its compliance with the priorities of the Call field to which it is submitted.

6) Project communication (10 points)
Another thing to be taken into consideration when assessing the applications is project dissemination plans and innovative communication strategies. In its project application, the applicant must indicate the guidelines of project publication with communication purposes, target audiences, means and partnerships established that help to ensure the maximum visibility and accessibility of the project.

7) Project management (5 points)
The aim of Kaunas 2022 VšĮ is to ensure an effective and transparent implementation of partnership projects, as well as implementation of requirements applied under the procedures of public administration. In the project application, organisers are asked to describe the composition of the team implementing the project and indicate persons who will be responsible for carrying out the public procurement procedures, financial operations and accounting of the project, project management, etc. You should also mention your institution’s previous experience implementing projects of a similar kind and other relevant information about organiser’s capacity to implement project activities, ensuring proper execution of administrative procedures established in the legislation of the Republic of Lithuania and rules for partnership implementation. Another thing to be evaluated is project activity schedule, estimated costs of the project and its validity, as well as means provided to secure additional project funding.

8) Impact on the environment (5 points)
Applicants are encouraged to think how project activities will contribute to sustainable development in environmental, social, economic sense, development of new infrastructure, etc., implementation of moderate consumption and healthy lifestyle, equal opportunities and non-discrimination principles as well as dissemination of sustainable development, environmental and ecological values and raising awareness. When implementing projects, the aim is to achieve as low negative impact on the environment, pollution and use of disposable objects as possible.

A member of the working group who carries out project evaluation, shall fill project evaluation sheet indicating a number of points for each criteria.

If the working group that evaluates projects cannot properly assess administrative compliance and suitability of the project due to inaccurate or incomplete information, it has a right to ask the applicant to submit the missing documents and information.

Having received project evaluation sheets from group members, an employee of the institution assigned in accordance with the decree of the Director of Kaunas 2022 VšĮ, shall prepare a project evaluation report which shall be discussed during the working group meeting.

During this meeting, the working group shall make a decision regarding the data indicated in application evaluation report (average of points assigned by each working group member to application’s evaluation priority (-ies) and / or criteria and recommendations) and shall adopt a working group decision regarding each application: 

• to include the project into the general Kaunas European Capital of Culture programme and co-produce the activities listed in the Application; 
• to include the project into the general Kaunas European Capital of Culture programme and contribute to dissemination of its activities;
• not to include the project into the Kaunas the European Capital of Culture programme.

The working group shall also recommend a budget amount dedicated to co-produce partnership project activities and prepare a consolidated and reasoned working group commentary based on the application’s compliance with application criteria. If the working group adopts the decision to change data indicated in application evaluation report, such decision shall be reasoned in the minutes of the working group.

Member of the working group can formulate recommendations how to improve project quality and integrate it as smoothly as possible into programme fields.

When the working group evaluates the project evaluation conclusion of the work group members, it has a right to ask a working group member to abstain from the consideration of the application, if it can be grounded that application evaluation by a group member can be biased. In this case, the decision of the working group shall be reasoned in the minutes of the meeting.

In accordance with the decisions adopted by the working group, a list of partnership projects shall be prepared and then confirmed by the Director’s decree of Kaunas 2022 VšĮ.

Partnership project evaluation criteria shall be announced when the application evaluation is over, but no later than by 29 November 2019 on the website of Kaunas 2022: www.kaunas2022.eu.

Organisations the projects of which proposed are included into the programme of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 shall sign a joint activity agreement with Kaunas 2022 VšĮ that runs the programme (Annex No. 1) to this agreement in which it undertakes to act together implementing the partnership project of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 jointly funded by Kaunas City Municipality, Kaunas District Municipality and the budget of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

     6. Implementation of cooperation projects

When implementing the cooperation project, the project operator:

• complies with the requirements indicated in the joint activity agreement;
• ensures the transparent control of the project’s budget;
• organises the procedures of public procurement to implement project activities (if applicable to the project operator);
• submits in time performance, financial and other reports and documents necessary to submit to Kaunas 2022 VšĮ during project implementation period;
• submits to Kaunas 2022 VšĮ project activity statistics for impact recording and for the purposes of Kaunas 2022 research;
• ensures efficient communication of project activities, accessibility of information about the project activities to the society, the visibility of the logos of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022, the European Union, Kaunas City, Kaunas District and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in all means of project communication taking into consideration the guidelines of the use of the logos;
• strives to ensure the maximum opportunities for various groups of society and those groups who have worse opportunities and experience difficulties to participate in project activities.

Partnership project shall be implemented through the funding by Kaunas City Municipality, Kaunas District Municipality, Government of the Republic of Lithuania and Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 programme operated by Kaunas 2022 VšĮ and the costs of the operator of the cooperation project.  

Project partners shall sign an annex to the joint activity agreement, which specifies:

• project partner obligations;
• project performance indicators;
• schedule of project implementation;
• estimated project costs and estimated sources of funding (project budget and estimate shall be clarified every year, detailing the plans and costs of the upcoming year);
• project budget distribution in accordance to partners.

Both parties hereby undertake to fulfil the conditions established in the agreement and the annexes thereof and if one of them ceases to fulfil them, the agreement can be terminated.

The funds of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 programme for project implementation shall be transferred by Kaunas 2022 VšĮ to project partner every quarter in accordance with a project budget distribution plan and schedule confirmed in advance. The costs shall be transferred when the new quarter starts and only when the uses of funds statement of the last quarter is received together with accounting documents that confirm the use of the budget, the estimated costs and the summary of intermediary indicators. 

Costs suitable to be covered from the funds of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 programme are the costs incurred during the project implementation period necessary to achieve the results established in the project and must be included into the estimated costs of the project. These costs must be directly related to project implementation, comply with the standards of transparent finance management and the principles of cost-efficiency. Project estimate can include the salaries of the employees of cultural institution implementing the project (up to 20 % from the total project budget), costs for business trips planned for the networking of the organisation that carries out the project. Administrative costs of the institution can be declared as Partner’s contribution to the project. 

Funds received from Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 cannot be used to cover: project application preparation costs, fines, default interest, financial penalties, litigation costs, interest on loans and debt repayments, costs of renting and leasing the premises owned by the applicant or partner for the purposes of the project, building protection and management, rent costs, project implementation costs financed from other sources, costs for activities that violate the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, laws and regulations in any way or method, purchase of vehicles, real estate, office space rent, office space repair, costs unnecessary for project implementation, costs that exceed the market price and do not comply with the principle of sound finance management, costs of intermediaries or consultants where the cost of the work or services is related to a cost that is not based on the actual value of the work or services provided; costs that have already been funded (paid for) and are funded from the budgets of Kaunas City and / or Kaunas District municipal budgets. These costs shall be deemed unsuitable for covering from Kaunas 2022 fund. If the costs deemed as ineligible are necessary to implement the project, they must be funded from the own funds of project operator or other project partners (or other sources of funding raised).

When carrying out project activities and administrating the project budget, project promoter hereby undertakes to ensure the implementation of the activity and budget plans, submit quarterly performance and budget reports, operation and budget plans for the upcoming quarter and the final project implementation report (forms will be provided as Annexes to Joint Activity Agreement).