1. The overall project idea and outline

2. My hidden agenda I came up with the idea for this project for primarily 3 reasons: AKKS needs to strengthen our political arguments showing the politicians why amateur arts is important I find the subject informal learning in arts very interesting but very underexposed and difficult to put into words when asked about it The nordic network in amateur culture has become quite weak since the nordic cultural program was revised. In my opinion it needs to be rebuilt.

3. The project outline The purpose of this project is to establish a Nordic/Baltic network of amateur artists/organisations, that will function as a platform for exhange of experience and knowledge of the informal learning that takes place in amateur arts. During a series of 4-5 meetings/workshops in 2013-14 organisations from the field of amateur arts in the Nordic/Baltic region will share, gather and develop knowledge and experience of the informal learning taking place in amateur culture The outcome of information and knowledge from the meetings will form as the basis of the network and hopefully lead to the establishing of a website and the dissemination of information to our organisations and the public.

4. NORDPLUS 2013 program options For a project like this there really is only one option for support within the 2013 NORDPLUS program: Its under the collaboration program: Thematic networks

5. Thematic Network The aim for thematic networks is to give organisations involved in adult learning the opportunity to form networks and more permanent relationships and partnerships The overall criterias for obtaining support are: The participants must work on a joint theme by way of a given problem or challenge defined by the parties A detailed work schedule with clear aims and expected outcome has to be presented with the application The network activity must lead to new understanding and ideas Can last up til 3 years

6. Financial part of a thematic network The financial part of a network project is somewhat complicated. The grant is based on a budget of the estimated actual costs for all organisations. The maximum grant is 50.000 Euro: The NORDPLUS grants only cover up to 75% of the approved costs in a budget = 25% must be self or co-financed In kind contributions can however be included in the selffinancing The costs covered are: Travel and board, administration (5%), printed materials, establishing a web site, meetings, seminars, work hours put in to the project and translation BUT NOT: wages, costs for particpants outside the project group, project overhead, equipment, activities og people outside the Nordic/Baltic countries Example of template budget

7. Expected contributions Thematic network application: All participants must take part in the design of the application and give feed back on the application to the administrator If you are hosting a national meeting you will have to make a budget for the meeting in your country and send it to the administrator before the 15th of February 2013 as the deadline is 1st of March 2013 All participants must take part in activities between the national meetings All participants must take part in national meetings in other countries We must find people among us to take on tasks with the administration, evaluation and communication of the project (i.e. website, photo, facebook, logo) All participants must take part in the evaulation of the project

8. Decisions, decisions, decisions… In the next few hours we have to design and agree on the outline of the overall project: We must ensure we mean the same thing when we speak about informal learning in amateur arts We must find out what will be the themes of the national meetings/workshops We must find out how we will work in between meetings We must find out how we will spread the results of our project We must find out how we will communicate We must agree on the form of the national meetings I hope the next few hours will clarify…but please keep the NORDPLUS thematic network program in mind – as it is the financial limitation.