The Nordic Baltic Festival Platform (NBFP for short) is a platform for festivals in all arts and cultures held in the Nordic and Baltic countries. As one of the practical initiatives to promote cultural exchange, the NBFP opens its first Festival Project Competition from Russia. Applications will be accepted until 1 August 2019 (Thursday), 23:59 (Central European time).
The Platform includes 10 countries: Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland (including the Åland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden. The aim is to strengthen cultural cooperation in the region through increased networking and interaction, and to increase the capacity and visibility of festivals in the region. The platform is open for festivals representing all types of art.
The aim of the competition is to promote interaction between Russian festivals and their Scandinavian-Baltic colleagues in search of new and preferably long-term partnerships, as well as to encourage the exchange of practices and creative ideas.
Festivals of any kind from Russia that already cooperate or want to start cooperation with festivals from the Scandinavian-Baltic region can apply for participation.

Who Must Submit an Application?
Festivals of arts and culture from Russia, interested in presenting their projects to both their compatriots and festival industry leaders in the Scandinavian-Baltic region, in order to start cooperation with them.
Festivals are invited to participate in the following arts forms: music, dance, theatre, cinema, photography, design and applied arts, digital arts, literature, street art and performance, visual arts, interdisciplinary (unites several arts forms).
There will be no creative restrictions for festivals. All applications will be considered. Any detailed information that the applicant can provide in order to best describe his or her project and cooperation ideas in the Scandinavian-Baltic region is welcome.

Why Should You Participate?
The main idea of the Competition 2019 Festival Projects from Russia is to give an impetus to cultural cooperation between festivals both within the largest country and with foreign colleagues from the Scandinavian-Baltic region. Forming partnerships will in itself be valuable both for the applicant festival itself and for future partner festivals and their audiences. The selected festivals will be advised, supported and advised by members of the NBFP Board of Directors.
The most important thing is that they will have the opportunity to attend the annual NBFP Conference, which will take place on 7-8 November 2019 in Liepaja, Latvia (https://www.nordicbalticfestivals.org/conference), to briefly present their project and idea(s) of cooperation to colleagues from the Scandinavian-Baltic region, including Russia, leaders of festivals of culture and art.
The NBFP will reimburse travel expenses (including visa expenses, if necessary) and the cost of participation of one (1) representative from each festival.
For the selected festivals, this conference is the most suitable place to find potential partners, to initiate and develop ideas for future cooperation, to acquire connections, etc. All this should lead to an increase in the importance and audience of these festivals throughout Russia, as well as in the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Requirements for participants
NBFP does not provide any financial support for the selected festivals. Instead, the NBFP helps to create new collaborative opportunities for participants and introduces them to the professional standards and rules of the festival industry in the Scandinavian-Baltic region.
All selected festivals will be presented on the 1st day of the conference in Liepaja, Latvia. The conference will be held in English.
Applicants will be required to prepare a five-minute presentation of their project (NBFP board assistance and advice will be provided) and then answer questions (with the assistance of a moderator from NBFP). Additionally, applicants will have the opportunity to participate in the second day of the conference in the session, where mini-presentations will be given on the topic of "Various forms of mentoring". This will be confirmed in August 2019 individually.
In addition, during the two days of the conference, participants will have many opportunities to meet in person with potential partners from the Nordic and Baltic countries and to disseminate any promotional materials that will help to increase the interest of potential partners in cooperation with Russian festivals.

Application and selection process
Those wishing to attend the conference in 2019 should complete the application form and send it in PDF format to info@nordicbalticfestivals.org with the note "NBFP Festival Pitches" in the subject line. You can also send a maximum of 2 additional files (appendices) with a more detailed description of your festival. All materials must be submitted in English.

Applications must be submitted by August 1, 2019 at the latest. (Thursday), 23:59 (Central European Time).
There are no plans to extend the deadline for submission of applications or to submit applications later than this deadline. Applications will be reviewed by the NBFP Board of Directors, which consists of professionals in the arts, culture and festival industry. Applicants will be informed of the status of their applications by 15 August 2019 at the latest.