Are you willing to make data exploration both entertaining and informative?
Do you question the impact of data and technology on individuals and society?
You have come to the right place!
WHAT we are looking for
The MediaFutures support programme is looking for artists and startups eager to reshape the media value chain through innovative, inclusive and participatory applications of data and user-generated content.
OPEN Challenges
The first Open Call covers 4 Challenges.
Three of them are focusing on the coronavirus infodemic, the fourth one is open for other topics. Choose one of them and explain how you will address it through the MediaFutures support programme.
Each of the Challenges can be addressed via the use of any dataset or combination of datasets, from those provided by the data infrastructure of MediaFutures, or other open or shared datasets. The MediaFutures consortium will provide participants of the Open Call with (i) basic training sessions on data management technologies, (ii) a first level of technical support for orienting them within existing databases and tools. Technical developments dedicated to the projects shall be foreseen in their workplans and budgets.
To demonstrate the viability of your project, you should have a clear outline for the data you will require, including feasible strategies to access this data both technically and legally.
Call opening:
November 23, 2020
12pm noon (CET)
Call closing:
January 28, 2021
12pm noon (CET)
Application kit
Interested in applying?
Download the Application KIT where you will find all the relevant documents for your application (Guidelines for Applicants, Frequently asked questions (FAQ), Proposal Templates for each of the tracks, Challenges, Sub-grantee agreement template)
Faq
Find the answers
to frequently asked questions
Challenge 1
VIRAL COMPLEXITY
Accounting for the complexity of coronavirus through data literacy
In the context of the coronavirus and misinformation, there is an urgent need to engage and empower citizens with data literacy. Therefore we are looking for innovative and inclusive data literacy strategies to account for the complexity of the coronavirus crisis and thus combat the infodemic. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding the management of how citizens receive and engage with (mis)information about coronavirus in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Challenge 2
Building Bridges
Reintegrating society by bridging communities
This challenge seeks platforms, tools and artworks that help find ways to help build bridges between opposing views within and across communities, reconnect society, and encourage new connections. We want to encourage dialogue instead of confrontation, and knit together social fabric that has been torn apart by constant confrontations. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding the fragmentation of society in the context of coronavirus in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Challenge 3
The New Media-tors
Reimagining and rebuilding the role of mediators to tackle misinformation around coronavirus
Both traditional and new forms of digital media, as well as new social media platforms, thrive on conflict, also in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. We want to strengthen the role of trustworthy mediators – whether they’re journalists, scientists, politicians, libraries, social media networks, influencers, or artists – who can help reduce misinformation, rather than increase its spread. Mediators can moderate polarising views, and help citizens to engage with and understand information in a non-reactionary way. This can help prevent citizens from being overwhelmed with information in the ever-changing situation relating to coronavirus. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding the management of how citizens receive and engage with (mis)information about coronavirus in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Challenge 4
Open Challenge
MediaFutures seeks novel solutions to support and strengthen quality journalism, science and science education, transparency and democracy, to help counteract the negative effects of misinformation across society, and help build trust in scientific and democratic institutions. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding misinformation in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Apply to get the chance to receive:
up to €40,000 for artists
Track 1
Artists for Media
Do you use data as an art material to engage, educate and inspire new ideas? This one’s for you!
This residency track aims at supporting standalone artists or artistic companies to develop an innovative artwork concept and production process. For this track, you should propose new ideas and experiences that critically and materially explore data and technology to question its impact on individuals and society. The focus will be on data relevant to the media value chain, including social media. A maximum grant of €25,000 will be awarded to five artistic projects. One of them will receive an additional €5,000 prize during the final demo day.
Track 2
Startups for Citizens
Does your startup have the solution to tackle misinformation? This one’s for you!
This acceleration track aims at supporting startups to develop new approaches to make online content more diverse and its creation and sourcing transparent. The focus will be on areas of public interest: journalism, including bottom-up forms, science education, and digital democracy. A maximum grant of €65,000 will be awarded to the selected startups. This track has three stages: seven startups will be selected to join the STARTS phase and receive €5,000. After one month, the startups pitch to be one of three startups to progress to the BUILD stage and receive up to €50,000. During the EXHIBIT phase, one startup will receive an additional €10,000 prize on the final demo day.
Track 3
Startup meets Artist
Do you like to be inspired by others, working closely with media entrepreneurs or artists, to challenge and grow ideas? This one's for you!
In this track MediaFutures will support teams consisting of a startup and an artist to collaboratively develop a new concept of data technology and the arts. Supported projects will create new experiences that make data exploration both entertaining and informative, building upon products, services and tech used or developed by the startup. A maximum grant of €80,000 will be awarded to the selected startups, and a maximum grant of €40,000 will be awarded to the selected artists. For this track, the artist and the startup need to apply together. This track has three stages: eight projects will be selected to join the STARTS phase and receive €5,000. Four projects will be selected to progress to the BUILD phase and receive up to €65,000 for the startups and €30,000 for the artists. During the EXHIBIT phase, an additional prize will be awarded to the selected team during the final demo day (€10,000 for the startup and €5,000 for the artist).
artistic companies
You must be established and work in one of the Member States of the European Union, their Overseas Countries and Territories, H2020 associated countries or the UK.
Individual
artists
You must provide administrative information and review, accept and comply with the Terms & Conditions defined in the Guidelines for Applicants and the Declaration of Honour.
STEP 1
STEP 2
Read the all the documents in the Application KIT, with special attention to the Guidelines for Applicants
STEP 3
Choose a challenge and the right track for your project
STEP 4
Create an account on the online submission platform
STEP 5
Start your application
STEP 6
Make sure to answer all questions and upload all relevant documents
(1-short proposal; 2-amateur video; 3 Additional artistic material if you are applying to Artists for Media or Startup meets Artist tracks)
STEP 7
Submit before the deadline
When to apply?
Call opening: November 23, 2020
Call closing: January 28th, 2021
12pm noon (CET)
When will the results be published?
March 2021
When will the residency/accelerator start
April 2021
What are the
selection criteria?
INNOVATION
overall idea and objectives, solution to the Open Call challenge, project outcomes
IMPACT
economic or artistic impact, social impact, sustainability
BUSINESS (for startups)
value proposition, market opportunity, business model
IMPLEMENTATION AND ARTISTIC QUALITY
(for artists)
artistic proposal, implementation plan, use of data
TEAM
skills, knowledge, previous work and experience in the media and data field
Detailed evaluation criteria for each of the tracks can be found in the Guidelines for Applicants
Are you willing to make data exploration both entertaining and informative?
Do you question the impact of data and technology on individuals and society?
You have come to the right place!
WHAT we are looking for
The MediaFutures support programme is looking for artists and startups eager to reshape the media value chain through innovative, inclusive and participatory applications of data and user-generated content.
OPEN Challenges
The first Open Call covers 4 Challenges.
Three of them are focusing on the coronavirus infodemic, the fourth one is open for other topics. Choose one of them and explain how you will address it through the MediaFutures support programme. Each of the Challenges can be addressed via the use of any dataset or combination of datasets, from those provided by the data infrastructure of MediaFutures, or other open or shared datasets. The MediaFutures consortium will provide participants of the Open Call with (i) basic training sessions on data management technologies, (ii) a first level of technical support for orienting them within existing databases and tools. Technical developments dedicated to the projects shall be foreseen in their workplans and budgets.
To demonstrate the viability of your project, you should have a clear outline for the data you will require, including feasible strategies to access this data both technically and legally.
Call opening:
November 23, 2020
12pm noon (CET)
Call closing:
January 28, 2021
12pm noon (CET)
Application kit
Interested in applying?
Download the Application KIT where you will find all the relevant documents for your application (Guidelines for Applicants, Frequently asked questions (FAQ), Proposal Templates for each of the tracks, Challenges, Sub-grantee agreement template)
Faq
Find the answers
to frequently asked questions
Challenge 1
VIRAL COMPLEXITY
Accounting for the complexity of coronavirus through data literacy
In the context of the coronavirus and misinformation, there is an urgent need to engage and empower citizens with data literacy. Therefore we are looking for innovative and inclusive data literacy strategies to account for the complexity of the coronavirus crisis and thus combat the infodemic. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding the management of how citizens receive and engage with (mis)information about coronavirus in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Challenge 2
Building Bridges
Reintegrating society by bridging communities
This challenge seeks platforms, tools and artworks that help find ways to help build bridges between opposing views within and across communities, reconnect society, and encourage new connections. We want to encourage dialogue instead of confrontation, and knit together social fabric that has been torn apart by constant confrontations. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding the fragmentation of society in the context of coronavirus in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Challenge 3
The New Media-tors
Reimagining and rebuilding the role of mediators to tackle misinformation around coronavirus
Both traditional and new forms of digital media, as well as new social media platforms, thrive on conflict, also in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. We want to strengthen the role of trustworthy mediators – whether they’re journalists, scientists, politicians, libraries, social media networks, influencers, or artists – who can help reduce misinformation, rather than increase its spread. Mediators can moderate polarising views, and help citizens to engage with and understand information in a non-reactionary way. This can help prevent citizens from being overwhelmed with information in the ever-changing situation relating to coronavirus. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding the management of how citizens receive and engage with (mis)information about coronavirus in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Challenge 4
Open Challenge
MediaFutures seeks novel solutions to support and strengthen quality journalism, science and science education, transparency and democracy, to help counteract the negative effects of misinformation across society, and help build trust in scientific and democratic institutions. Projects should address any of the issues surrounding misinformation in innovative ways. That could mean developing software or hardware to address these issues; artworks to highlight various aspects of them; or combinations of both.
Apply to get the chance to receive:
up to €40,000 for artists
Track 1
Artists for Media
Do you use data as an art material to engage, educate and inspire new ideas? This one’s for you!
This residency track aims at supporting standalone artists or artistic companies to develop an innovative artwork concept and production process. For this track, you should propose new ideas and experiences that critically and materially explore data and technology to question its impact on individuals and society. The focus will be on data relevant to the media value chain, including social media. A maximum grant of €25,000 will be awarded to five artistic projects. One of them will receive an additional €5,000 prize during the final demo day.
Track 2
Startups for Citizens
Does your startup have the solution to tackle misinformation? This one’s for you!
This acceleration track aims at supporting startups to develop new approaches to make online content more diverse and its creation and sourcing transparent. The focus will be on areas of public interest: journalism, including bottom-up forms, science education, and digital democracy. A maximum grant of €65,000 will be awarded to the selected startups. This track has three stages: seven startups will be selected to join the STARTS phase and receive €5,000. After one month, the startups pitch to be one of three startups to progress to the BUILD stage and receive up to €50,000. During the EXHIBIT phase, one startup will receive an additional €10,000 prize on the final demo day.
Track 3
Startup meets Artist
Do you like to be inspired by others, working closely with media entrepreneurs or artists, to challenge and grow ideas? This one's for you!
In this track MediaFutures will support teams consisting of a startup and an artist to collaboratively develop a new concept of data technology and the arts. Supported projects will create new experiences that make data exploration both entertaining and informative, building upon products, services and tech used or developed by the startup. A maximum grant of €80,000 will be awarded to the selected startups, and a maximum grant of €40,000 will be awarded to the selected artists. For this track, the artist and the startup need to apply together. This track has three stages: eight projects will be selected to join the STARTS phase and receive €5,000. Four projects will be selected to progress to the BUILD phase and receive up to €65,000 for the startups and €30,000 for the artists. During the EXHIBIT phase, an additional prize will be awarded to the selected team during the final demo day (€10,000 for the startup and €5,000 for the artist).
artistic companies
You must be established and work in one of the Member States of the European Union, their Overseas Countries and Territories, H2020 associated countries or the UK.
Individual artists
You must provide administrative information and review, accept and comply with the Terms & Conditions defined in the Guidelines for Applicants and the Declaration of Honour.
STEP 1
STEP 2
Read the all the documents in the Application KIT, with special attention to the Guidelines for Applicants
STEP 3
STEP 4
Create an account on the online submission platform
STEP 5
Start your application
STEP 6
Make sure to answer all questions and upload all relevant documents
(1-short proposal; 2-amateur video; 3 Additional artistic material if you are applying to Artists for Media or Startup meets Artist tracks)
STEP 7
Submit before the deadline
When to apply?
Call opening: November 23, 2020
Call closing: January 28th, 2021
12pm noon (CET)
When will the results be published?
March 2021
When will the residency/accelerator start
April 2021
What are the
selection criteria?
INNOVATION
overall idea and objectives, solution to the Open Call challenge, project outcomes
IMPACT
economic or artistic impact, social impact, sustainability
BUSINESS (for startups)
value proposition, market opportunity, business model
IMPLEMENTATION AND ARTISTIC QUALITY
(for artists)
artistic proposal, implementation plan, use of data
TEAM
skills, knowledge, previous work and experience in the media and data field
Detailed evaluation criteria for each of the tracks can be found in the Guidelines for Applicants
MediaFutures 1st Open Call Webinars
Are you thinking about applying for MediaFutures?
We invite you to hear more about the application process and what you can expect from the Acceleration and Residency programmes.
December 17th, 2020
at 1:00 PM (CET)
January 13th, 2021
at 1:00 PM (CET)
Partner search for
Startup meets Artist track
Are you looking for a partner to team up with for the Startup meets Artist track?
We offer a platform that will help you to find your perfect partner.
All you have to do is to create a profile, add your description, take a look at the other participants, talk to the most interesting ones via the chat box and then book a time-slot with them for the matchmaking days that will take place on December 17th, 2020 and January 13th, 2021 at 1:00 PM (CET). The better your description is, the more speed-meetings you have, the more chances you have to find your perfect partner. Don´t miss this great opportunity!
What are you waiting for? Don’t waste time and create your profile at Deal Room Events.
Any questions?
All the information you need about the Open Call, evaluation process and residency process are in the guidelines for applicants and the FAQs which are part of the Application KIT.
If you need any further assistance please contact us at:
opencall@mediafutures.eu
or get in touch with us through our social media
