"This is an important event for the Belarusian independent community, because for the first time culture has entered the priorities of the European Union's work with Belarus.

One of the goals of us as an organization since its creation two years ago — apart from providing emergency aid, which we all still need — is to think about the long-term perspective, so that culture is understood by everyone in a broader sense.

When they say that we don't like songs, when there are protests, violence, repression, war, it always confuses me.

Culture is about all of us, it is something that will help preserve us as individuals, as citizens of this country, to preserve its independence.

Culture is one of the tools, an engine for change," says the head of the Belarusian Council of Culture

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The contract with the European Union was signed by the Danish Institute of Culture, which has contractual obligations to ensure transparency of the project, quality, reporting and financial management.

"The cooperation of the Institute with Belarus began in 2015, it took place in the form of Danish-Belarusian exchanges, as in other countries of the Eastern Partnership.

The main goal was to promote the idea of ​​culture as an engine of democratic changes in society.

One of the projects with which we have already worked with the Belarusian Council of Culture is the New Democracy Fund, within the framework of which we achieved a tangible result, we prepared a manual on cultural rights that can be used by cultural workers to promote their rights and protect them," says Mes. Estergor, temporary director of the Danish Institute of Culture in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, is also responsible for work with Belarus and Ukraine.

The developer of the ArtPower Belarus project, Tatyana Pashavalova, says that the main thing is for the Council of Culture and other communities to take cultural policy into their own hands.

"The first task of the project is to support cultural figures in their creativity, in their efforts through two lines of support.

The first line is the support of projects (up to 5 and up to 60 thousand euros), which will be allocated on a competitive basis, as required by the European Union procedure.

The second line is support for the mobility schemes of Belarusian cultural figures, so that they can participate in festivals, events, receive education, and demonstrate their products in other countries," Tatsiana explains.

"My personal expectation is that people will not only ask for money, but also understand where to get it"

In order for the project to achieve its goals, it is necessary to increase the potential of cultural figures, Tatsiana adds.

"So that they took advantage of the difficult situation for their own growth, entered the cultural market space of neighboring countries.

For this potential increase, we have the opportunity to unite those cultural figures who have something to share.

And so to form a community of Belarusian project cultural managers of the new generation, who could respond with collective works to what is happening around, and that this would strengthen the Belarusian civil society."

2 million euros are given for 28 months.

The funds are quite small, says Siarhei Budkin.

"If these funds will be distributed effectively, if initiatives outside of us will grow from them, if these projects will continue to live and inspire, give birth to new art managers, then we can talk about the further search for resources and support.

This budget does not include our organization.

Only 4-5 people from our team work on it.

For example, the budget of the Swiss Cultural Foundation is 46.3 million euros per year.

The budget of the Ukrainian Culture Fund before the war is 20 million per year, despite the fact that some structures there are separately financed," Syarhei explains.

Now the criteria for how projects will be considered for funding are being agreed, so that there are no conflicts of interest and other problems.

"I hope that at the end of January there will be the first acceptance of applications for the mobility program, which will allow creators to travel for some professional interests and to support project activities," says Siarhei.

The head of the Council of Culture adds that his expectations from the project are also that people will learn to "get" money themselves.

"My personal expectation is that people will not only ask for money, but also understand where to get it, how to survive in this system and move on.

We want to start processes and facilitate the creation of new organizations, projects and everything else.

There is no purpose here to pull the blanket over yourself.

If we have more art managers, more artists who will be engaged in self-promotion, and there will not be this story only about whining and sacrifice, but there will be a raised head and an understanding of the future, then it will be a step forward," says Siarhei.

As part of the contract, they plan to support 50 projects.

"About 2,000 euros per person will be allocated for travel and mobility, but it depends on the project.

We would like to see at the end of this project that Belarusian cultural workers and other patrons will be more involved in solving their own affairs, in cultural policy.

We want to see that the products of Belarusian culture are modern, interesting and respond to the challenges of time, they will be noticed at the European level and will be desired by any partners.

We will be visible not because we are unhappy, but because we do our job well," adds Tatsiana Pashavalova.