Open Call Building Talent 2022

With Building Talent, the Fund wants to stimulate the exchange of ideas and knowledge between established and starting designers and makers within the creative industry, and to strengthen the connection of starters to the professional field. The collaborative programme offers experienced designers and makers the opportunity to connect with a talented starter over a period of four months and create room for in-depth research and experimentation.

This open call is intended for experienced designers and makers who have had their own practice for at least four years within the fields of digital culture, architecture or design and the crossovers between these fields. This includes design studios, architectural firms, collectives, game developers, fashion labels, platforms, or other forms of professional design practices. A second open call will follow in November 2022, allowing interested starting designers and makers to respond specifically to one of the selected proposals.

In this first call, the experienced designer or maker submits a proposal for a topical design task, research question or experiment, which can be worked on with a starter for four months. The proposal can take as starting point a self-chosen theme, a fascination, a social task or an otherwise relevant topic. In addition, the proposal leaves a role open for a starting designer or maker and describes the proposed collaboration. It is important that there are clear frameworks and expectations with regard to the starter.

The collaboration concerns a part-time working period of four months and can start from March 2023 (or in the period up to two months afterwards). The Fund expects a weekly commitment from both the experienced designer or maker and the starter, so that a research project can be started or experiments can be carried out in a constructive and substantive way. Prior to the collaboration, a collaboration agreement and planned approach are drawn up jointly.

This first call selects experienced designers or makers with a design task, research question or experiment that they have formulated themselves. A second open call will follow in November 2022, allowing interested starting designers and makers to respond specifically to one of these proposals. In the selection process, an external advisory committee looks for the best partnerships. Based on the profile of the starter, their motivation, and the fit with the selected proposal, a match is made between both parties.

In order to prepare the application, it is important to acquire the right information based on the following documents:

Open Call Building Talent
Applications are assessed on the basis of the Open Call Building Talent for experienced designers and makers, which describes the reason and objective, central questions, criteria and procedure.

Building talent project canvas and explanation
The project canvas is the core of your application. Check it out in advance so that you know what is being asked of you. Also read the explanation.

Open Call Grant Scheme
Applications are assessed on the basis of the Open Call Grant Scheme, which describes the general conditions, grounds for rejection, manner of publication, submission procedure, assessment, the award and any grant obligations.

Grant applications are submitted for assessment to at least three external, independent advisers. This committee assesses the plans based on the following three criteria:

1. the relevance of the chosen design task;
2. the extent to which the design task and the chosen approach are in line with the expertise and the portfolio of the applicant; and
3. the way the collaboration with a starting maker or designer is proposed. The expected added value of this collaborative programme for both parties is also taken into account.

acceptance
When you have submitted your application, the Fund Desk will check if your application complies with the formal requirements of the Open Call Grant Scheme.

assessment
An independent advisory committee will assess your application on the basis of the Open Call Grant Scheme and Open Call Building Talent. The committee advises the Fund’s Board.

tender
The assessment of the open call takes the form of a tender: this means that within the available budget, a number of proposals are chosen above the others. Only positively assessed applications will be supported.

decision
The Board takes account of the committee’s advice in its decision on the rejection or provision of the grant. You will be notified about the result in a decision.

accountability
If you receive a grant from the Fund, then you will have to comply with the obligations. Two weeks before the conclusion of your project, you will be asked by email to submit your accountability form in the application environment.

Open Call Building Talent for experienced designers and makers
Open Call Grant Scheme
Building Talent project canvas
Explanation project canvas