CALL FOR PROPOSALS: VALLETTA CULTURAL AGENCY
CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The Valletta Cultural Agency is inviting companies and organisations to submit their interest in partnering with the Valletta Cultural Agency to enhance the experience of residents and visitors to Valletta, 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 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.
1. FUNDING
Annual free large-scale event in a public space in Valletta.
This fund may cover up to 80% of the total costs up to a maximum of €200,000 (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 based on a fixed allocation for a three-year period or to adjust the awarded amount incrementally without exceeding the 80% co-funding threshold or the maximum allocation of €200,000 (whichever is the lower).
The amount to be awarded is at the discretion of the VCA.
2. ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY
The applicant must be a company or organisation active in the creation of cultural events, with experience in the creative sector and having a registered address in the Maltese islands.
3. SELECTION CRITERIA
a. Relevance of the artistic programme proposed (Marks: 40%)
b. Overview of the Company or Organisation (Marks: 40%)
Kindly attach a detailed overview including the following points:
- vision, mission and, main objectives of the company or organisation
- information about governance and management structure of the company or 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 or organisation (including evidence of market research)
- budget, financial plans (including potential sources of funding, funding partnerships 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
c. Track record (Marks: 10%)
Companies or organisations, and/or individuals involved in the same company or organisation are expected to have a strong track record in the field to be able to evaluate the likelihood of the company or organisation achieving the goals set out in the application.
d. Clarity of presentation and application (Marks: 10%)
4. SELECTION PROCESS
Eligible applications will be assessed by an Evaluation Board made up of VCA representatives.
The Evaluation Board 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 Evaluation Board’s decision depends primarily on whether the company or 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 Board, will be published online.
5. 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.
6. ELIGIBILITY
The following are not eligible to submit their application:
- Activities or initiatives with a line vote as indicated in the financial estimates published by the Ministry for Finance.
- Companies or organisations which do not have registered address in the Maltese islands.
- Companies or organisations which have not honoured previous funding commitments.
- Companies or organisations whose objective is fundraising or are political in nature.
Eligible costs
This strand may cover up to 80% or up to €200,000 of the following costs:
- Artistic fees
- Management fees
- Rental of spaces
- Marketing of the event
- Travel and 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
7. SUBMISSIONS
Submissions must be sent via email on applications@vca.gov.mt by not later than 14th May 2025 at noon (12:00 hours). Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
It is essential that in the same email all relevant additional supporting documents as required by these guidelines and regulations are attached. Documents exceeding 4Mb in size must be sent via a WeTransfer link, which should be included in the submission email. Prospective applicants should also include the signature (electronic signature or scan) as indicated on the application form.
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 Call for Proposals 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 and submission as explained in these guidelines and regulations. Only completed applications will be evaluated and rated according to the specified selection criteria, with a final score calculated.
8. MANDATORY DOCUMENTATION
The application should include the following mandatory documentation:
- A copy of the application form signed by the legal representative(s) of the company or organisation.
- A detailed income-expenditure budget for Year 1, accompanied by budget plans and forecasts covering three years.
- The vision, mission and main objective of the company or organisation together with a portfolio showing strong track record in the field (With these regards, documents to be submitted are: Proof of having organized a large scale event in open air public places (min 50,000 audience) in the past 4 years, 3 references from clients, artists or service providers with whom you have collaborated in the past 4 years.
- Information about governance and management structure of the company or 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 or organisation (including evidence of market research).
- Budget, financial plans (including potential sources of funding, funding partnerships and stakeholders) and cash-flow statements demonstrating financial sustainability.
- Monitoring and risk assessment plans for the proposed programme.
Supporting documents
Applicants are encouraged to provide supporting documents, wherever applicable, such as email exchanges, official documentation confirming points listed in the application together with quotes and past invoices justifying figures in the budget.
9. 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, beneficiaries 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. The Valletta Cultural Agency reserves the right to initiate proceedings to recover funds already disbursed under the grant.
In addition, the Valletta Cultural Agency reserves the right to conduct on-site monitoring through its representatives. During these on-site spot checks, photographic evidence may be taken and interviews carried out. In addition, beneficiaries 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.
10. CLARIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Requests for clarifications are to be sent by email on applications@vca.gov.mt by not later than 27th April 2025.
11. STATE AID RULES AND OBLIGATIONS
Applicable State Aid Rules
The terms and conditions outlined in this Call for Proposals, which apply to beneficiaries engaged in an economic activity, aligned 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 Commission Regulation (EU) No 2017/1084 of 14 June 2017 amending Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 as regards aid for port and airport infrastructure, notification thresholds for aid for culture and heritage conservation and for aid for sport and multifunctional recreational infrastructures, and regional operating aid schemes for outermost regions and amending Regulation (EU) No 702/2014 as regards the calculation of eligible costs [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 General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).
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