As April begins, Creatives Unite, with its monthly curated, list invites creative professionals across Europe to discover new funding, networking, and development possibilities. This month’s selection of open calls spans media arts, journalism, digital sovereignty, creative innovation, and public art. Whether you're an artist, designer, cultural operator, or media-maker, these six calls offer ways to grow your work, connect internationally, and bring your ideas to life.
1. DATAS Residency Programme | Exploring Digital Sovereignty Through Art
Sector: Visual Arts, Digital Media, Technology
Deadline: April 15, 2025, 15:00 CET
The DATAS Residency Programme invites artists to explore digital sovereignty through the lens of computation, AI, and social impact. Organized by Projekt Atol (Slovenia), Goethe-Institut (Germany), Izolyatsia (Ukraine), MeetFactory (Czech Republic), and Tallinn Art Hall (Estonia), the program offers eight production residencies in Ljubljana, Prague, Tallinn, and online.
Support provided:
- Monthly stipend: €1,000 (net)
- Production budget: Up to €3,000
- Travel and accommodation costs covered
- Access to institutional infrastructure and expert mentorship
- Final exhibition at Galerie Rudolfinum, Prague
Who can apply:
Artists based in or long-term residents of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine.
More details here
2. Buildner | Kinderspace: Architecture for Children's Development Competition
Sector: Architecture, Education
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Buildner announces the second edition of the Kinderspace competition, inviting architects and designers to create innovative educational spaces that enhance early childhood learning. Participants are encouraged to design environments that are safe, functional, stimulating, and inclusive, fostering creativity and community interaction.
Support provided:
1st Place: €5,000
2nd Place: €2,500
3rd Place: €1,000
Buildner Student Award: €1,000
Buildner Sustainability Award: €500
Who can apply:
The competition is open to all individuals and teams (up to 4 members), regardless of professional qualifications.
More details here
3. ECPMF | 5th Annual IJ4EU Impact Award
Sector: Journalism, Media
Deadline: April 27, 2025, 23:59 CET
The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) announces the fifth annual IJ4EU Impact Award, celebrating excellence in cross-border investigative journalism. This award honors investigative teams that have uncovered groundbreaking stories transcending national boundaries in 2024.
Support provided:
Three equal prizes of €5,000 each, awarded to the winning teams.
Who can apply:
- Cross-border investigative journalism teams.
- Investigations must involve journalists from at least two European countries participating in the EU Creative Europe Programme.
- Eligible investigations must have been published between January 1 and December 31, 2024, via credible mediums such as print, online, TV, radio, documentary film, or multimedia.
- Nominations can be submitted by anyone, including self-nominations by journalists.
More details here
4. Creative Europe | Creative Innovation Lab
Sector: Audiovisual, Cultural and Creative Sectors
Deadline: April 20, 2025
Creative Europe's Creative Innovation Lab aims to support the design, development, and dissemination of innovative tools, models, or solutions applicable across the audiovisual and other cultural and creative sectors (CCSs). The initiative encourages cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance environmental sustainability, competitiveness, and the circulation of European content.
Funding for projects focusing on:
- Virtual Worlds as new environments for promoting European content and engaging audiences.
- Innovative business tools for production, financing, distribution, or promotion enabled by technologies like AI, big data, blockchain, and NFTs.
- Greener practices in content creation, addressing environmental sustainability in line with the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus.
Who can apply:
- Entities active in the audiovisual and other cultural and creative sectors.
- Applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries participating in the Creative Europe Programme.
More details here
5. Karlsruhe UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts | Project Funding Program for Media Art
Sector: Media Arts, Public Art
Deadline: May 15, 2025
The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Karlsruhe is offering funding for media art projects specifically designed for public spaces, ensuring high visibility for the general public. This initiative aims to support artistic projects that utilize media art to provide new perspectives on contemporary social issues, enriching the media art landscape for both viewers and participants in the city. Emphasis is placed on international exchange, collaboration, and interdisciplinarity.
Support provided:
- Total funding pool of €100,000.
- Selected projects will be showcased in the summer of 2026 as part of the exhibition "Media art is here."
Who can apply:
- Artists, cultural and media professionals, as well as initiatives and institutions from Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
- Tandem applications from artists based in Karlsruhe collaborating with artists from other cities in Baden-Württemberg are particularly encouraged.
More details here
6. Moleskine Foundation | Creativity Pioneers Fund 2025
Sector: Arts, Cultural and Creative Industries
Deadline: April 7, 2025
The Moleskine Foundation's Creativity Pioneers Fund offers unrestricted grants of €5,000 to selected non-profit organizations that place creativity at the core of their mission and programming. The fund aims to support organizations in covering general operational costs and critical expenses necessary for developing their activities. Beyond the initial micro-grant, the program seeks to establish long-term collaborations, providing access to additional financial opportunities, in-kind support, mentoring, learning experiences, peer-to-peer exchange, and networking.
Support provided:
Unrestricted grant of €5,000.
Who can apply:
- Legally registered, non-profit organizations actively operating in the cultural and creative sectors.
- Organizations must prioritize disadvantaged and/or marginalized communities, focusing primarily on youth aged 16-27.
More details here
