Skopje, 29 September 2024 (MIA) - The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is set to announce the public call for support of projects of national interest in culture on Monday. Interested applicants will be able to submit their applications through the national e-services portal until October 31.

At a press conference on Sunday, Minister Zoran Ljutkov said that the public call is reform-oriented and introduce changes in the financing methods, aiming for a “qualitative leap in culture rather than a quantitative one.”

A major update is that it has been accurately defined which types of projects can be supported, and the maximum funding amounts they can receive. These changes were made based on analyses of previous financing, in consultation with stakeholders who have previously applied in the past, and based on recommendations from the State Audit Office.

“The evaluation of projects will be conducted based on the fulfillment of general conditions that are the same for all project applicants, as well as the fulfillment of specific conditions clearly defined for each individual area. According to the types of projects and in the interest of a transparent allocation of funds, this year’s annual call applications have precisely established which type of project can receive what maximum amount of support. There will no longer be significant discrepancies in the support for projects of the same type; instead, based on analyses of previously implemented projects, the real needs and costs of the projects will be subsidized,” Ljutkov said.

A new change this year is that interdisciplinary projects and creative industries will not receive funding in the annual public call. For these areas, the Ministry will take other measures and actions as recommended by the State Audit Office, he stated.

Ljutkov said that the budget for the areas and activities of culture for 2025 has been increased by 70 million denars, and that during their first 100 days, they made significant efforts, as he expressed, through a reallocation of the budget to meet current obligations, given that the budget was in poor condition when they took office in June.

“We need to begin 2025 with allocated funds for supporting quality projects that facilitate the development, promotion, and affirmation of our culture,” Ljutkov said.

This year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has, for the first time, established specific acts related to the implementation of the annual calls for 2025.
He said that a guideline has been established for identifying the types of projects that will receive support, along with the priorities, eligibility criteria, metrics, and evaluation criteria for the projects. Additionally, a guideline for the criteria for appointing members of the commissions that will assess the submitted projects in the competitions has also been adopted. The expert commissions by area will be publicly disclosed. The objective is to ensure an objective and substantiated evaluation of applications in a highly transparent way, supporting quality projects that, according to the minister, will promote the development of culture in our country.

“Our goal is to support artistic excellence through the annual calls, stimulate creativity in artistic creation, promote top performers and young talents, ensure the protection and sustainable development of cultural heritage, and establish our visibility and recognition within the European cultural context,” the Minister of Culture and Tourism said.

Technical support and instructions for registration will be available to applicants on the www.uslugi.gov.mk website and through the e-services contact center.

Photo: MIA