You can often get subsidies from the town or city where you organise your activities, where you live or where your organisation is based. Local councils can also help you with all sorts of other things, such as infrastructure, material, promotion and so on.
Get accreditation for your organisation
If you have an organisation, make sure your local council knows about it and has accredited it as a cultural or socio-cultural organisation, sports club, senior citizens’ association etc. Then you will often also be able to join a relevant advisory board (such as the culture board). That will give you the opportunity to give advice to local policymakers, along with other similar organisations.
Visit your local council’s website
Take a look at your town or city council’s website and search for policy and subsidy regulations. If subsidies exist, the guidelines and criteria will be on your local council’s website. Cities often have more options for subsidies than small municipalities.
Make an appointment with your cultural policy coordinator
Certainly don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your local cultural policy coordinator or the local councillor responsible for culture to discuss the possibilities for finding support!
Antwerp: Talent Development Fund (Fameus)
People in Antwerp are spoiled for choice: besides the subsidies offered by the City of Antwerp, they can also try Fameus, an urban incubator for amateur arts.
Fameus manages the ‘Fonds voor Talentontwikkeling’ or Talent Development Fund, where you can apply for subsidies for projects in the nine districts of Antwerp. There are project subsidies with 4 application dates each year. You will find all the relevant info on the Fameus website.