The Valletta Cultural Agency is inviting companies and organisations to submit their interest to be partners in its efforts to create an enhanced experience for residents of, and visitors to, the Capital City throughout the year.
Partnership Agreements will be valid for 3 years from the date in which the agreement comes into effect.
This call has the following strand:
Annual free large-scale cultural event in a public space in Valletta
The partnership will provide a stable support for companies and organisations to develop, deliver and help fulfil the VCA’s goals in sustaining and strengthening the Capital City’s vibrant cultural life.
**FUNDING**
This fund may cover up to 80% of the total costs up to a maximum of EUR 155,000 (whichever is lower) per year. The VCA will establish a financing programme for beneficiaries following negotiations on the proposed budgetary plans. The VCA reserves the right to award grants to beneficiaries based on a fixed allocation every 3 years or gradually increase or gradually decrease the awarded amount without exceeding the 80% co-funding threshold or the maximum allocation of EUR 155,000 (whichever is the lower).
The amount to be awarded is at the discretion of the VCA.
**ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY**
The applicant needs to be a company / organisation active in the creation of cultural events (NACE Ref: R 90 Creative, Arts and Entertainment activities and R 94.1 Activities of business and employers membership organisations) and with experience in the creative sector and that have a registered address in the Maltese Islands.
**SELECTION CRITERIA**
1. Relevance of the artistic programme proposed (Marks: 40%)
2. Overview of the Company / Organisation
Kindly attach a detailed overview including the following points:
• vision, mission and main objective of the company / organisation
• information about governance and management structure of the company / organisation
• proposed event
• collaborators to implement the event
• information about the partnerships proposed
• implementation timeline for deliverables and timeframes
• marketing and promotional plan of the company / organisation (including evidence of market research)
• budget, financial plans (including potential sources of funding, funding partners and stakeholders) and cash-flow statements demonstrating financial sustainability
• overview of the scale of the event in terms of audience numbers
• monitoring and risk assessment plans for the proposed programme (Marks: 40%)
3. Track record
Companies / organisations and/or individuals involved in the same company / organisation are expected to have a strong track record in the field to be able to evaluate the likelihood of the company / organisation achieving the goals set out in the application. (Marks: 10%)
4. Clarity of presentation and application (Marks: 10%)
**SELECTION PROCESS**
Eligible applications will be assessed by an evaluation team made up of VCA representatives.
The evaluators will present an assessment on each of the proposals indicating the relevant rating awarded. As specified above, each criterion is allocated a number of specific marks. The Board’s decision depends primarily on whether the company / organisation and its activities address the needs expressed by this Call for Proposals as well as on availability of the funds.
The order of classification of the applications, according to the marks allocated by the evaluators, will be published online.
**CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION**
• The VCA reserves the right not to consider the submitted proposal if it does not match the priorities of this call.
• All information requested in this document must be provided. Any additional materials are to be submitted together with the application.
**ELIGIBILITY**
The following are not eligible to submit their application:
• Activities / initiatives with a line vote as indicated in the financial estimates published by the Ministry for Finance.
• Companies / organisations which do not have a registered address in the Maltese islands.
• Companies / organisations which have not honoured previous funding commitments.
• Companies / organisations whose objective is fundraising or are political in nature.
**Eligible costs**
This strand may cover up to 80% or up to Eur 155,000 of the following costs:
• Artistic fees
• Management fees
• Rental of spaces
• Marketing of the event
• Travel & Accommodation
• Risk Assessment
• Insurance
• Contingency (no more than 10% of total costs)
**Ineligible costs**
• return on capital
• debt and debt service charges
• provisions for losses or debts
• interest owed
• doubtful debts
• exchange losses
• costs declared by the beneficiary and covered by another grant of the Government of Malta or the European Union
• contributions in kind exceeding 5%
• expenditure deemed excessive or reckless
• refundable VAT
**SUBMISSIONS**
Submissions must be sent via email on opencalls@vca.gov.mt till 12:00 (noon) of Tuesday 27th September 2022. It is essential that in the same email you include all additional supporting documents as required by these guidelines and regulations. Documents larger than 4Mb may be sent via WeTransfer link. You should also include the signature (electronic signature or scan) as indicated on the application form.
Applications will be accepted till noon (12:00) as per the timestamp on the email received by the Agency. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
All application forms are to be signed prior to submission. By doing this, applicants are accepting the conditions of the fund as explained in this expression of interest and in the application form. Application forms which are not signed will not be accepted.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to present a complete application form as explained in these guidelines and regulations. Only completed applications will be examined and rated according to the specified selection criteria, with a final score calculated.
**MANDATORY DOCUMENTATION**
The application should include the following:
• A copy of the application form signed by the legal representative/s of the company / organisation
• Detailed income-expenditure budget for year 1 accompanied by budget plans and forecasts covering three years
• vision, mission and main objective of the company / organisation
• information about governance and management structure of the company / organisation
• proposed event description
• collaborators to implement the event
• information about the partnerships proposed
• implementation timeline for deliverables and timeframes
• marketing and promotional plan of the company / organisation (including evidence of market research)
• budget, financial plans (including potential sources of funding, funding partners and stakeholders) and cash-flow statements demonstrating financial sustainability
• monitoring and risk assessment plans for the proposed programme
**Supporting documents**
It is very important to, where possible, present relevant supporting documents such as email exchanges, official documentation confirming points listed in the application together with quotes and past invoices justifying figures in the budget.
**IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING**
If the application is approved and funded, beneficiaries will be requested to sign a contract specifying the conditions of the fund at the Valletta Cultural Agency. When accepting the grant, applicants accept that their name, the title and the amount awarded can be published by the Valletta Cultural Agency. Approved applications are subject to discussion with the Valletta Cultural Agency and finalisation of a detailed funding agreement which may include specific conditions, and which will also determine payment procedures for that specific funded application.
The beneficiaries must use the fund’s logo on all related material and specify that the project was supported by the Valletta Cultural Agency’s Partnership Agreement in all marketing, PR and printed material. The grant received must be used solely for the purpose for which it was awarded, in line with the submitted proposal and the contract.
Beneficiaries must notify the Valletta Cultural Agency immediately if changes affecting the nature of the project take place during implementation. Changes cannot be implemented unless approval is received. The Valletta Cultural Agency reserves the right to revise or withhold the final payment if the change in the project is not considered to be in line with the initial proposal, or if the Agency is not informed of the changes within a reasonable time. If the need arises the Valletta Cultural Agency can also commence proceedings to recoup all funds already provided in the grant.
The Valletta Cultural Agency reserves the right to send representatives for monitoring purposes During these on-site spot checks photographic evidence may be taken and interviews carried out. In addition successful applicants are to participate as necessary in the promotion of the fund through exposure of their success story as deemed appropriate by the VCA.
All beneficiaries will be required to submit regular reports providing general or specific updates, as well as detailed financial reports, supported by invoices, at the end of each funding period.
The Valletta Cultural Agency reserves the right to revise the payment procedures and overall budgeting if there are changes in the allocation by the central authorities.
**CLARIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**
Any request for clarifications is to be sent by email on opencalls@vca.gov.mt.
**STATE AID RULES AND OBLIGATIONS**
**Applicable State Aid Rules**
The terms and conditions set out in this call for proposals applicable to beneficiaries who are commercial undertakings or NGOs that carry out an economic activity, are in line with the Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, as amended by and as may be subsequently amended [hereinafter referred to as the General Block Exemption Regulation].
The measure is not applicable to the following:
a. Activities listed down in Article 1 (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the General Block Exemption Regulation.
b. Undertakings in difficulty defined in terms of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014.
Furthermore assistance may not be granted if the aid is:
a. related to export activities towards third countries or Member States, namely aid directly linked to quantities exported, to the establishment and operation of a distribution network or to the other current expenditure linked to export activity.
b. contingent upon the use of domestic in preference to imported goods.
c. in favour of a beneficiary which is subject to an outstanding recovery order following a previous Commission decision declaring an aid granted by Malta illegal and incompatible with the internal market.
**Rules on Cumulation of Aid**
In line with Article 8 of the General Block Exemption Regulation, the total amount of State aid for the aided activity or project or undertaking shall be taken into account.
Aid with identifiable eligible costs may be cumulated with:
• Any other State aid, as long as those measures concern different identifiable eligible costs,
• Any other State aid, in relation to the same eligible costs, partly or fully overlapping, only if such cumulation does not result in exceeding the highest aid intensity or aid amount applicable to this aid.
The aid shall not be cumulated with any de minimis aid in respect of the same eligible costs if such cumulation would result in an aid intensity exceeding that laid down in the GBER.
**Frequently Asked Questions:**
1. Can the public space be indoors (eg. Church/theatre)?
A public space is defined as being a space to which people normally have unrestricted access and right of way.
2. Must one propose a different event for each of the 3 years or one for a particular year?
Interested applicants must submit proposals which clearly describe a programme across the three (3) years. A proposal for an event for one (1) year is not considered as eligible.
3. What makes an event a large scale one?
A large-scale event is defined as bringing together eight hundred (800) or more people at one point in time to experiece the proposed event.
