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Ineligible activities include: Pure artistic projects without community engagement. Curricular school activities (only extracurricular activities are eligible). Projects focused solely on one-time events, material purchases, or operational costs without program content.

To prepare for the survey, gather the following information: Your last two annual arts/cultural programs in Word format for uploading. Alternative: your new ideas for cultural programs for uploading. The related budgets for the above mentioned, for uploading. Frequency and schedule of your arts/cultural programs. A clear understanding of your target audience. Identification of the target groups for your programs. Breakdown of the total costs associated with your programs. List of languages in which your programs are offered. Assessment of the social impact of your arts/cultural programs.

As lead beneficiary, CEDE ARUBA is responsible for managing the grant, coordinating the project, financial administration, reporting, and communication with Fonds voorCultuurparticipatie. In both countries, Aruba and St Maarten, there are implementing teams. In Aruba it is CEDE ARUBA with UNOCA, and in St Maarten it is SMDF and Foresee Foundation. The implementing teams work together with a network of cultural and social organizations, which are carefully selected and contracted.

The deadline to fill in the survey is July, 2nd 2024, 11:59 PM.

This is not a traditional grant program. This means that there is no direct application process. Organizations can express their interest in participating by filling in a detailed online survey. This survey will provide information about their programs, frequency, participants (including vulnerable populations) and community impact, After receiving all surveys, the implementation teams will select participants based on the survey information.

The aim is to improve access to culture and support existing and new cultural creators and audiences. Culture and art are powerful tools for social change. Community art and participatory cultural/art practices are central: artists work with social and community partners on artistic projects that address urgent societal or group issues, aiming to create change. Beyond traditional offerings, everyone can be creatively active by participating in, creating, and sharing culture/art. In addition, the aim is to stimulate cultural entrepreneurship, encouraging individuals and organizations to innovate, develop sustainable cultural projects, and create new opportunities in the cultural sector. In short, the goals of the program are: Support cultural/art initiatives that target vulnerable and marginalized groups Stimulating cultural entrepreneurship and building the organizational/financial capacity of cultural/art and social/community organizations

The beneficiaries are mainly cultural/art organizations and social/community organizations (foundations, associations) that are established and registered at the Chamber of Commerce & Industry (COCI) in Aruba and St Maarten. Individual artists need to collaborate with a formal entity. Government Departments, such as f.e. Department of Culture, cannot benefit from the budget, but it is possible to collaborate to improve existing projects and create new collaborative projects.

Eligible costs include all expenses necessary to realize the program activities and to reach the target groups with a priority for the art and culture components. This includes artists' fees, related material, coordination, location, and transportation costs (if necessary). A maximum of 40% of the total project costs can be allocated to material investments.

The program will be designed by coordinating and implementing partners based on the survey results. A draft program will be created by the end of July 2024 and sent to the Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie. After final approval, aiming for September 2024, the coordinating and implementing partners will inform all organizations about the final program and related beneficiaries. Afterwards, contract will be offered to the selected beneficiaries.

After final approval of Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, we will announce the final program. The aim is to announce this during September 2024.

This program invests in cultural/art and social/community organizations. Therefore, there are expectations regarding the process and final outcomes. All beneficiaries are expected to demonstrate transparent financial administration, participate in mandatory and needs-based workshops/training sessions, and share the results with the community and the funders.

The results of the LET’S ACT program will be presented during collective activities towards the end of the program period, but there might also be activities during the program. We aim to organize presentations / expositions / markets to showcase results and to even sell products, targeting locals and tourists.