European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists Call 5
The European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) will support around 50 residencies, bringing together at least 150 festivals to support emerging artists in developing their work and international connections.
An initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA), co-funded by the European Union, EFFEA empowers festivals to join forces across borders and accompany artists at different stages of their careers.
Emerging artists are not defined by age but rather by their novelty to programmers and audiences and their potential for international breakthrough. Artists can be individuals or groups working across a wide range of artistic disciplines.
Before preparing your application, read the full EFFEA Call 5 document which sets out the eligibility criteria, residency requirements, financial conditions, selection criteria, and timeline.
Applications must be submitted by the leading festival by 3 November 2026.
Who can apply?
- The partnership must bring together at least three festivals from three eligible countries: one leading festival and at least two partner festivals. Both leading and partner festivals must:
- have organised at least one festival edition;
- be registered on FestivalFinder.eu before submitting the application.
- A festival may apply for one grant as a leading festival and may participate in multiple applications as a partner festival.
- Proposed artists may be individual artists, collectives, companies, ensembles or groups of any age and nationality. Artists must have either nationality or legal residence in one of the eligible countries.
What is an EFFEA Residency?
An EFFEA Residency brings together one leading festival and at least two partner festivals from three eligible countries around an emerging artist or artistic group. Together, the festivals give artists time, space and support to develop their work, reach new audiences, meet programmers and build connections beyond their national context.
Two residency formats can be proposed:
- EFFEA Discovery: Festivals support artists at the early stages of their careers who have strong potential to break through internationally.40 grants of €8,000 will be awarded. The residency must include:
- One work-in-progress presentation (or presentation of the production result) at the leading festival.
- One workshop (live or online) hosted by the leading festival and involving at least one programmer from each partner festival.
- One EFFEA film about the residency (to be included in the final report).
- Participation in the EFFEA Intake and Outtake Seminar.
- EFFEA Springboard: Festivals support artists who are already established in their own countries and ready to develop their careers internationally.10 grants of €15,000 will be awarded. The residency must include:
- One presentation of the production result at the leading festival and each partner festival, with at least three presentations in total.
- One live masterclass led by the artist at the leading festival and each partner festival, taking place in at least three countries.
- One EFFEA film about the residency (to be included in the final report.
- Participation in the EFFEA Intake and Outtake Seminars.
Info, Networking and Q&A Sessions
A series of EFFEA Sessions will offer opportunities to learn more about the call, support the development of residency proposals and connect with potential partners. EFA will host 4 online sessions, all taking place on Tuesdays from 11.00 to 12.00 CEST:15.09.2026.