The Call for Participation in the Creative Mentorship for Young Professionals Programme, implemented by Creative Mentorship as part of the Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans project, is now open and will close on Friday, December 6, 2024.
The Creative Mentorship for Young Professionals Programme aims to select and support up to 30 mentees, young professionals in the fields of culture, arts, and creative industries, from six Western Balkans IPA beneficiaries[1], who are seeking to develop both professionally and personally through the support of an experienced mentor, the Creative Mentorship team, and peer-learning with other mentees and mentors throughout this year-long mentoring programme.
Foto: Vladimir Opsenica
Participants are expected to come from the fields of arts, culture, and creative industries, and to have a minimum of two years of experience in at least one relevant sub-sector within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). According to the EU definition, cultural and creative industries encompass a wide variety of sub-sectors, including culture, arts, architecture, archives, libraries and museums, artistic crafts, audiovisual (including film, television, video games, and multimedia), tangible and intangible cultural heritage, design (including fashion design), festivals, music, literature, performing arts (including theatre and dance), books and publishing, radio, and visual arts.
Formal education in these fields is not a requirement for participation, nor is employment status of the applicants.
Participation in the programme is free of charge for mentees, while mentors contribute on a pro bono basis.
Applications are submitted by completing and submitting the form available here, no later than December 6, 2024. Detailed information about the application process and the Open Call for Participation can be found on the website, and for additional information, you can contact us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn) or via email at info@kreativnomentorstvo.com.
Foto: Vladimir Opsenica
What will be taken into consideration is the applicant’s past, current experience, or planned future work in the listed fields, their interest in further professional development, and the ability to use culture, art, and creative industries to enrich society and the environment in meaningful ways. Innovation in one’s approach, as well as a curiosity to explore new methods, experiment, and develop personal expression, will also be considered.
The mentoring programme offers various forms of support, providing participants with the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and insights, as well as to work towards achieving their professional and personal goals. The main activity of the programme for the participants (mentees) is one-on-one support from a carefully selected mentor, chosen based on the mentee’s needs, goals, and challenges. The mentor’s role is to support the mentee’s professional and personal development through the sharing of knowledge, experience, and perspectives. Mentors in the programme come from diverse sectors, generations, and professions, enabling mentees to gain specific knowledge and experience from fields that are often inaccessible to them.
In addition, the programme provides relevant training, lectures, and discussions on current topics of importance for the work and development of participants, as well as networking, connecting, and exchanging knowledge and experiences with other active professionals gathered by the programme. The programme also facilitates expanding participants’ networks and creating opportunities for cross-regional collaboration within the cultural and creative sectors.
Furthermore, participants receive continuous support from dedicated Creative Mentorship team and promotion of their work and achievements throughout the programme, and beyond, when they become part of the alumni network.
The Creative Mentorship for Young Professionals Programme will be delivered in a hybrid format, with two main events (the introductory – Kick Off workshop and the Mid-term workshop) taking place in-person, while the remaining events and workshops will be held online.
Foto: Vladimir Opsenica
During the application period, interested individuals will also have the opportunity to meet the team and learn more about the programme during the online promotional event, the Info Session on December 3, 2024.
Please find more details about the Creative Mentorship for Young Professionals Programme here.
Some of the mentors in the previous, Creative Leaders Mentorship Programme include: Biljana Tanurovska – Cultural worker, curator, researcher, and programme director of Lokomotiva – Centre for New Initiatives in Arts and Culture; Aida Vezić, Secretary General, Director of the Balkan Museum Network; Vasilije Milnović, Head of the Scientific Center, University Library Belgrade; Helena Hiršenberger, Assistant Professor at FEFA Faculty/Monitoring & Evaluation and RDIs Transformation Officer at the SAIGE Project; Arta Agani, Cultural Worker, experienced in supporting the careers of visual artists; Michael Bird, retired cultural diplomat; Svetlana Stefanović, Executive Director, Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society and many more.
More about the alumni network can be found on Creative Mentorship’s website.
Creative Mentorship for Young Professionals Programme is supported by the British Council through ‘Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans’ (CC4WBs) project, funded by the European Union. CC4WBs is focused on fostering dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. Over a 48-month period, the CC4WBs project aims to improve the performance of the cultural and creative sectors in order to enhance skills, knowledge, access to financial aid to increase competitiveness and sustain co-production and circulation of goods and services in the Western Balkans.
Foto: Vladimir Opsenica
Kick Off workshop within the Creative Leaders Mentorship Programme, December 2023.
[1] Beneficiaries are the EU candidate countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244), Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.