TEH Startup Support Programme 2022

TEH Stratup Support Programme is back! One of our most sucessful programmes is coming back…
Published on Sept. 14, 2022

TEH Stratup Support Programme is back! One of our most sucessful programmes is coming back and will kick off next week in North Macedonia. 

What is TEH Startup Support Programme?

For the past four years we have been working and supporting emerging cultural initiatives based in abandoned buildings at the European borders. We called the programme TEH Startup Support Programme and helped 13 emerging centres in 9 countries across Europe. We strategically chose to work with centres located  in the regions on the outskirts of Europe as many of these regions have less favourable conditions (polical, economic and social) for such initiatives to grow and flourish.

Learn more about the programme in our publication Smart and Fearless 

TEH Startup Support Programme (SUSP) – 2022 Edition

For 2022, we returned back to the Balkan region. TEH has long been engaged in the region but not all countries have been targeted throughout the years. In addition, TEH Balkan Hub that started a few years ago has slowed down a bit due to COVID-19. We find, however, the Balkan region extrimely exciting, vibrant and full of potential with many emerging underground initiatives and movements, which makes it a perfect location to launch our Startup Programme.

Methodology

This SUSP Edition will test a new mentoring methodology called ‘Lighthouses’. Lighthouses serve to guide ships through the storm and help them survive the worst. This metaphor was chosen because mentors of the SUSP will be acting as ‘lighthouses’ for young initiatives helping them navigate the hardest period and find their way to resilient development. An established cultural space will be invited to act as a lighthouse and use their experience to guide a new one.

In this programme’s edition Anibar (Kosovo) and Pogon (Croatia) will mentor two emerging centres each. Emerging initiatives have been handpicked in Western Balkans. 

Programme overview

The programme will start with a selection process and targeting emerging initiatives in the region that we would like to invite to participate. After the selecting process is complete, we will identify their needs though a questionnaire as well as an online meeting in August and each of the mentoring centres will tailor a mentoring program based on the identified needs.

In September two employees from each participating centre (making it four in total) will attend Kooperativa’s Summer School on Participatory Governance and Civic-public Partnerships in Ohrid, North Macedonia. During the School, we will launch the Startup Programme live. After that the centres will work closely online and have one study visit from their mentors between September and December.

Schedule

  • July 2022 – Selection of emerging initiatives
  • August 2022 – Online kick-off meeting and needs assessment
  • 19-23 Sep 2022 – Kooperativa Summer School – Live kick-off
  • Sep-Dec 2022 – Mentorship and online workshops
  • Dec 2022 – Closing of the programme

Participants and Eligibility Criteria

Participants were chosen based on the following criteria:

  • Preferably based in Western Balkans (if not possible than other parts of the region)
  • Emerging cultural centre who are at the start of their journey and are committed to learn and evolve
  • Located in a repurposed building
  • Have a collective vision and a growing community

Selected participants 

Our Mentors and Partners

Kooperativa- network of cultural actors in the Balkans
Kooperativa is a network of different cultural organisations with a lot of expertise in the `Balkans region. During this start-up programme the members of Kooperativa can act as consultants/advisors to the participants in the programme and offers spots for the summer school.

Anibar- previous start-up participant
Anibar from Kosovo will be the lighthouse centre in this project. Having participated in the previous start-up programme they know what the value can be for emerging centres and also the commitment that is requires.

Pogon
TEH Associate member from Zagreb. Will be another lighthouse centre in the project. Being an independent cultural initiative themselves they know about hardships that new centres might face.

Contact

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please email our Project Manager – Members Relations – Femi Adeniyi at femi@teh.net.

 

This programme is designed within the framework of the The Network Project supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Commission.