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>> Project Italian Council
With an investment of € 2,700,000, the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture launches the fourteenth edition of the Italian Council, the program to support, promote and valorize Italian contemporary creativity in the visual arts throughout the world.
Funding is available for: commissioning projects and the acquisition of a new artwork with related international promotion; the international promotion of artists, curators, and critics; the development of Italian talent abroad.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
- Areas 1 and 2
Public and private non-profit entities, both Italian and foreign (such as museums, university institutes, foundations, cultural associations, formally constituted committees). The requested contribution cannot exceed 80% of the total project cost, with a maximum cap varying according to the project type. The projects must take place between July 1, 2025, and August 31, 2027.
- Area 3
Artists, critics, curators, and other contemporary art professionals, holding Italian citizenship or tax residence in Italy, who meet the eligibility criteria of the Call. The amount requested for the research grant cannot exceed €15,000. The projects must take place between July 1, 2025, and October 31, 2026.
THREE AREAS OF INTERVENTION
1) INTERNATIONAL COMMISSIONING OF WORKS OF ART
The proposal should concern the production of a new work of art, including during residencies or exhibitions, by a living artist of Italian nationality or tax residence in Italy, with related international promotion. The work of art will then be added to the collections of Italian national, regional, provincial and municipal museums. Each project must include at least one phase of international promotion, preferably through an exhibition in a public or non-profit private institution dedicated to contemporary art. The main objective is to create or strengthen international networks to promote and support the research, practice and production of Italian artists of all generations.
2. INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION OF ITALIAN ARTISTS, CURATORS AND CRITICS
The proposal may include:
- Solo exhibition outside Italy
The aim is to give an artist who has or has had Italian citizenship or who is tax resident in Italy the opportunity to promote their work internationally. In this regard, Italian Council supports exhibition projects in prestigious international venues outside Italy, recognized in the field of contemporary art. - Participation in international events
Italian Council supports the participation of a living artist with Italian citizenship or tax residency in Italy in major international events outside Italy, such as biennials, triennials, festivals, or official collateral events, which increasingly serve as platforms for international visibility. - Curator of periodic international event or exhibition
The call supports curators or critics with Italian citizenship, or tax residency in Italy, who are invited to curate periodic international event or exhibition outside Italy. - International publishing projects
Italian Council promotes the international visibility of Italian art of the last seventy years through contributions to publishing products. Publishing projects are an opportunity to present to the world the artists, protagonists and significant stories of contemporary Italian art. These projects must be aimed primarily at international audiences and must ensure proper international promotion and distribution, preferably involving international publishers, specialized libraries and the organization of presentation events abroad. - Promotional activities for international acquisitions
Italian Council supports promotional activities related to the acquisition of works by Italian artists by foreign museums and institutions, including exhibitions, performances, publications, conferences, study days, meetings, educational activities, and workshops.
3) TALENT DEVELOPMENT
One of the main actions of Italian Council is to support the international development of Italian talent through research grants. In particular, the research project may involve one or more stays outside Italy at accredited institutions outside of Italy. The projects must be aimed at developing the candidate's professional career and artistic or curatorial practice in an international context, and at establishing or expanding international contacts and relationships that are useful for the consolidation of their career. The projects must include at least one opportunity to present the research outside of Italy at accredited public or non-profit private organizations.
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Le candidature devono essere inviate esclusivamente tramite il Tenders Portal della Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea entro il 10 aprile 2025 alle ore 15.00 (ora italiana) >> scadenza prorogata alle ore 15.00 del 28 aprile 2025.
For information and/or clarification:
Secretariat Italian Council – italiancouncil@cultura.gov.it
CALENDAR DEADLINES
- Opening of the application for submission via the Tender Portal: no earlier than 10 March 2025
- Deadline for clarification requests via email (FAQ): by April 3, 2025
- Chiusura invio candidature tramite il Portale Bandi: 10 aprile 2025 ore 15.00 (ora italiana) >> scadenza prorogata alle ore 15.00 del 28 aprile 2025
- Start of winning projects: no earlier than July 1, 2025
- Completion of winning projects in Area 3: by October 31, 2026
- Completion of winning projects in Areas 1 and 2: by August 31, 2027
Italian Council – Edizione 14 – Decreto Direttoriale n. 11 del 17.02.2025
Italian Council – Edizione 14 – Bando IT
Italian Council – 14th Edition – Public call EN
Italian Council – Edizione 14 – ZIP Modelli (IT) / Forms (EN)
Italian Council – Regolamento
Italian Council – Edizione 14 – Com. stampa del 18.02.2025
Italian Council – Edizione 14 – FAQ aggiornate al 01.04.2025
AGGIORNAMENTO 10.03.2025 – PORTALE BANDI
Le indicazioni sulle tempistiche e sulle modalità di candidatura tramite il Portale Bandi della Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea saranno comunicate nei prossimi giorni su questa pagina.
AGGIORNAMENTO 04.04.2025 – PROROGA SCADENZA
By Decreto Direttoriale n. 130 del 04.04.2025, il termine ultimo per la presentazione delle domande di partecipazione alla quattordicesima edizione di Italian Council è prorogato alle ore 15.00 del 28 aprile 2025.
AGGIORNAMENTO 11.04.2025 – PORTALE BANDI
Il Portale Bandi della Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea è attivo dal pomeriggio di venerdì 11 aprile 2025 per l’invio delle candidature.
Si comunica che, a seguito di diverse segnalazioni sull’impossibilità di accesso ai siti del Ministero della Cultura da alcuni Paesi europei ed extraeuropei, gli interessati a candidarsi all’avviso pubblico della quattordicesima edizione di Italian Council, residenti all’estero e che riscontrano tali difficoltà, possono inviare una mail all’indirizzo italiancouncil@cultura.gov.it per ricevere indicazioni su come procedere con l’invio della candidatura, indicando nell’oggetto il nome del Paese da cui si scrive, l’ambito e la sezione di interesse.
COMMISSIONE DI VALUTAZIONE
By Decreto Direttoriale n. 210 del 16 maggio 2025, il Direttore Generale ha nominato la Commissione di valutazione dei progetti Italian Council per il triennio 2025-2027. La Commissione è composta da: Fabio De Chirico, Direttore del Servizio II “Arte contemporanea e fotografia” che la presiede su delega del Direttore Generale; Claudio Varagnoli, architetto e professore ordinario all’Università di Chieti e Pescara, Presidente del Comitato tecnico-scientifico per l’arte e l’architettura contemporanee; Valentino Catricalà, storico dell’arte e curatore, Direttore presso Museum Commission, Ministero della Cultura dell’Arabia Saudita, curatore presso SODA Gallery Manchester, Lecturer presso Manchester Metropolitan University; Luca Cerizza, storico dell’arte e curatore indipendente a Berlino, docente di museologia e pratiche curatoriali alla NABA di Milano; Anna Mattirolo, storica dell’arte e curatrice, già co-direttrice delle Scuderie del Quirinale e già direttrice MAXXI Arte.
Italian Council è un programma strettamente legato alla promozione internazionale dell’arte visiva italiana attraverso produzione di opere e progetti mirati. Per musei, istituti e luoghi della cultura pubblici italiani e loro gestori che vogliono incrementare il patrimonio pubblico attraverso acquisizioni e nuove produzioni senza promozione internazionale, si suggerisce di valutare il programma PAC – Piano per l’arte contemporanea; se invece l’obiettivo è cercare sostegno nel settore della fotografia per acquisizioni, nuove produzioni, residenze, festival, mostre e progetti internazionali, si suggerisce di valutare il programma Strategy Photography.
Ultimo aggiornamento in data 16 May 2025