The Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Commission, herewith launches a European Heritage Label Sites / the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe – 2025 Call for Project Proposals under the joint action European Heritage Days.

The Call will provide funding (up to EUR 14 500) for a short-term project to be completed no later than 31 March 2026 that demonstrates a strong European Dimension. Priority will be given to projects which are aligned with the 2025 European Heritage Days pan-continental theme of Architectural Heritage and foster, in particular, the New European Bauhaus and sustainable cultural tourism, capacity building and inclusivity.

The main objectives of the Call to European Heritage Label Sites under the European Heritage Days are:

• Encouraging people, in particular young people, to engage with Europe’s cultural heritage and to reinforce a sense of belonging to the European common space.
• Identifying and promoting communities working with heritage in line with European values and with a long-term perspective of collaboration.
• Providing additional funding to European Heritage Label Sites to support the development of their European Heritage Label project.
• Motivating and encouraging European Heritage Label Sites as well as the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe to participate in the European Heritage Days.

Applications can be submitted in English or in French.

The deadline for submission of project proposals is Wednesday 19 March 2025, midnight CET. Applications shall be submitted to Stories.EHD@coe.int with the subject line “Application EHL sites/CoE Cultural Routes EHD 2025 grant”

Budget available

As part of the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage, adopted in December 2018, to secure the long term impact of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, and with a view to promoting synergies between European Heritage Label Sites, the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and the European Heritage Days programme, the maximum grant funds available within the scheme shall be EUR 43 500.

The maximum grant per project will be EUR 14 500. It is expected to fund around three projects. Co-funding of projects is mandatory and can take the form of staff, permanent equipment, site facilities and/or core running costs.

Eligible applicants

In order to be eligible, applications must be submitted by European Heritage Label sites designated under the European Union action for the European Heritage Label, established through the Decision No 1194/2011/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2011 or by Cultural Routes certified by the Governing Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe based on criteria established by its Committee of Ministers Resolution CM/Res(2023)2.

Project activities shall begin before 30 September 2025 and must be completed by 31 March 2026 at the latest.

European Heritage Label Sites and the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe which have received a grant through the European Heritage Days joint action between the European Commission and the Council of Europe during the past three years are not eligible for this Call.

Contacts

For any further information, please contact either the Council of Europe European Heritage Days team at Stories.EHD@coe.int.

2025 Call for Project Proposals – Terms and Conditions for the submission of Project proposals
Annex 1 – Rule nº 1374 – Grant Award Procedures of the Council of Europe
Annex 2a – Grant Application Form – Annex 2b – Estimated Budget Form
Annex 3 – Model Grant agreement
Annex 4 – Model Financial report

Appel à propositions de projets 2025 – Conditions générales pour la soumission des propositions
Annexe 1 – Règle n° 1374 – Procédures d’attribution des subventions du Conseil de l’Europe
Annexe 2a – Formulaire de candidature et Annexe 2b – Modele de budget prévisionnel
Annexe 3 – Modèle d’accord de subvention
Annexe 4 – Modèle de rapport financier