Culture Moves Europe 2026–2027: A Practical Guide to the Individual Mobility Grant

The short version

Culture Moves Europe has opened its 2026–2027 Individual Mobility call. It supports artists and cultural professionals who want to carry out a project in a Creative Europe country other than the country where they live. The call opened on 1 October 2026 and closes on 30 April 2027 at 23:59 CET. Applications are assessed after monthly deadlines, so you do not need to wait until April to submit.

The grant combines a daily allowance, a travel allowance and, where relevant, additional top-ups or accessibility support. You need a defined project and an international partner who will collaborate with you during the project. That partner can be a person or an organisation.

This guide summarises the official call as checked on 2 October 2026. Read the full Culture Moves Europe call before applying, because the official terms remain the authority.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are at least 18 years old, legally resident in a Creative Europe participating country, and active in one of the eligible sectors: architecture, cultural heritage, design and fashion design, literature, music, performing arts or visual arts. There is no required level of experience. Emerging and established practitioners are both eligible.

Applications can come from one person or a group of up to five people. Everyone in a group must meet the eligibility rules. The project must take place in a Creative Europe country other than each applicant's country of legal residence. Citizenship is not the deciding factor. Legal residence is.

Check the official list of participating countries before building your plan. If either your country of residence or the destination falls outside the programme, the project may not qualify.

What the grant covers

The daily allowance is €85 for each day of project implementation. The travel allowance is €400 for a journey under 5,000 km and €800 for a journey of 5,000 km or more. The application form calculates the distance from the one-way straight-line distance between your starting point and destination.

Extra support may apply: €400 for green mobility, €175 for travel involving an overseas country, territory or outermost region, €200 for each child under 18, and €120 for visa costs. Accessibility support includes €30 per project day, with further support possible for personal assistance, sign language interpretation or some travel-related needs.

Treat these figures as part of a project budget, not as a promise that every expense will be reimbursed. Work out your likely travel, accommodation, materials and living costs before deciding whether the grant makes the project realistic.

What your project needs

Your proposal must describe one artistic or cultural project carried out in another Creative Europe country with an international partner. The project has to address two of four objectives: to learn, to create, to explore or to connect.

The partner is not a name added for the form. They should collaborate with you during implementation. They can be an artist, curator, cultural worker, host, studio, residency, organisation or another relevant person or body. You choose the partner yourself.

Before requesting an invitation letter, agree on the basics together: what you want to do, why that place and partner matter, the working dates, what each side contributes, and what access or support will be available. A clear, modest project built with the partner is stronger than a broad travel idea with a partner attached at the end.

Documents and rolling deadlines

The required documents include official identification, proof of legal residence, a short CV, an artistic or creative portfolio, and a letter of invitation from the international partner. Start with the partner conversation because the invitation letter depends on another person and can take longer than preparing your own files.

The rolling deadlines are 31 October and 30 November 2026, followed by 31 January, 28 February, 31 March and 30 April 2027. There is no December deadline. Applications are evaluated after each monthly cut-off, and applicants are told the result through the Goethe Application Portal within eight weeks. Selected applicants have six months from signing the grant agreement to complete the project.

The application is completed in English. The programme says you do not need to be fluent, online translation tools are allowed, and language ability is not assessed.

Where Artaway can help

A grant application needs a real project relationship. Artaway can help at the earlier discovery stage: you can browse hosts and creative spaces, look for a place connected to your discipline, and start a direct conversation about a possible project.

Do not ask a stranger for an invitation letter in the first message. Introduce your practice, explain the idea you are considering, and ask whether there is genuine interest in developing it together. If there is, discuss the project before asking for formal documentation.

Artaway is not part of Culture Moves Europe, does not decide eligibility, and cannot issue an invitation letter on a host's behalf. A listing on Artaway does not mean that the host has agreed to become your grant partner. The platform is simply one place to find people and spaces with whom a real collaboration might begin.

Frequently asked questions

Is this only for visual artists? No. The eligible sectors are architecture, cultural heritage, design and fashion design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts.

Can a group apply? Yes. Groups of up to five people can apply, but every member must meet the eligibility requirements.

Does the project need a partner? Yes. You need an international partner in the destination country and a letter of invitation from them. The partner can be an individual or an organisation.

Can Artaway provide the invitation letter? No. The invitation must come from the person or organisation actually collaborating on the project. Artaway can help you discover possible hosts and begin a conversation.

Should I wait until the final deadline? You can, but the call is rolling. Submitting at an earlier monthly deadline gives you an earlier decision and more time to plan if selected.