Heartefact Fund is looking for the Program Grant Officer to support the implementation of the Culture for Development Project in North Macedonia

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Heartefact Fund is looking for the Program Grant Officer to support the implementation of the Culture for Development Project in North Macedonia. Funded by the Swiss Agency for the Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Culture for Development Project will be managed by the Heartefact Fund and is set to launch in January 2025 with a four-year duration.

The Culture for Development Project will be a key component of the Swiss Cooperation Programme in North Macedonia for 2021-2024 in the area of arts and culture, contributing to increasing citizen participation from all social groups in public affairs and election processes foster continuous political dialogue between citizens, civil society organizations, and public institutions.

Culture for Development Project focuses on the independent cultural sector, will address challenges such as limited funding, organizational instability and insufficient collaboration, and seeks to unlock the full potential of cultural actors as drivers of democratic participation and social cohesion. It adopts a bottom-up approach, prioritizing and emphasizing inclusivity, local needs and socially engaged arts that foster human rights, cultural diversity and civil involvement, while offering citizens opportunities to actively engage with cultural content. The project will provide grants and capacity building programs to support independent cultural organizations, including advocacy efforts to address immediate and long-term challenges in the cultural sector.

Key responsibilities:

Manage and coordinate the receipt and initial review of grant proposals, ensuring a systematic and efficient process.
Provide guidance to applicants on grant requirements and support them in preparing high-quality proposals.
Maintain an organized and detailed archive of all submitted proposals and related documentation.
Track and compile comprehensive statistics on calls for proposals, including outreach, diversity, and quality of applications.
Support the design and implementation of grant schemes within the Culture for Development Project.
Communicate with applicants about proposal status and provide feedback in timely manner.
Monitor grantee compliance with programmatic and administrative requirements throughout the grant lifecycle and review reports to ensure alignment with project objectives and guidelines.
Implement communication activities in line with the project’s communication strategy to enhance visibility and public engagement.

Organize and coordinate public events such as workshops, information days, and other community engagement activities.
Collaborate with the Project Implementation Team (PIT) to promote project’s goals and outcomes.
Maintain detailed records of project communication, activities and events for reporting and evaluation.
Assist in preparation of promotional materials and media outreach initiatives.
Foster strong relationships with grantees to ensure smooth communication and alignment with project goals.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

Bachelor’s degree in arts and culture, social sciences or other relevant humanistic disciplines.
At least 5 years of experience in project implementation and coordination within the cultural and artistic sector.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly in maintaining records and archives.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders effectively.
Proven experience in the North Macedonia artistic and cultural sector.
Familiarity with reporting requirements and administrative processes for grant-funded projects.
Ability to implement communication strategies and organize events.
Computer literacy and tools for communication, reporting, and event organization.
Proficiency in the English language (spoken and written).

Candidates are invited to submit their application (CV, short motivation letter and two names for reference) until 20 January 2025. Applications must be submitted via email to [email protected], with the subject “Application- Program Grant Officer “. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified of the results within 7 days of the application deadline.

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Students from Serbia visited the Short Theatre Festival in Rome within the European project Fabulamundi – New Voices

As part of the final phase of the European project Fabulamundi – New Voices, in which Heartefact and partners from about ten countries have been participating over the past two and a half years, we organized a visit of students from Serbia to the partner festival Short Theatre in Rome. The visit took place from September 5 to 7, during the 20th anniversary edition of this renowned festival.

The project “Culture for Development” announces to the public the names of the projects that received support within the first call!

The grants for cultural and artistic projects are awarded for the development and implementation of socially relevant contemporary art projects that contribute to the enrichment of culture and promote diversity in artistic practices and expressions, address critical social issues, and encourage community development.

Young Artists and Activists from Serbia Visited Festivals in Pristina and Prizren as Part of Heartefact’s Visiting Program

As part of Heartefact’s Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, we organized a visit in early August to festivals in Pristina and Prizren for a group of young artists and activists from Serbia. During the visit, the participants had the opportunity to attend three major cultural events in Kosovo – the 24th edition of the DokuFest International Documentary Film Festival in Prizren, the 6th edition of the Sunny Hill music festival in Pristina, and the 5th edition of the Autostrada Biennale, an international contemporary art festival.

OPEN CALL: GRANTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING (REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA)

Public presentation of the play Doughnuts held as part of the New Voices workshop

On Sunday, July 6, a public presentation of the play Doughnuts (Buhtle) was held at Heartefact House, marking the conclusion of the four-day Playground for New Voices workshop. The workshop took place within the European project Fabulamundi: New Voices, which Heartefact implements with partners from nine European countries. It was led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, in collaboration with emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac, the acting ensemble, and translator Olja Petronić.

Exploring and developing contemporary drama through process: Doughnuts by Jelena Krdžavac in the spotlight of the Playground workshop

As part of the Fabulamundi project, implemented by Heartefact in collaboration with partners from nine European countries, the Playground workshop is taking place in Belgrade from July 3 to 6. Led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, the workshop brings together a cast of actors and emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac to explore and further develop her play Doughnuts (Buhtle), which was shortlisted in last year’s Heartefact Competition for Best Contemporary Socially Engaged Drama.

Culture for Democracy: Supported Projects within the Call for Cultural and Artistic Project Implementation in Serbia

An exceptional response—totaling 273 applications—reflects the critical position of the cultural sector in Serbia in the context of the current political and social climate. Based on the Commission’s evaluation, 22 projects have been selected for support, with a total budget of 21,500,000.00 RSD. Although this amount exceeds the originally planned budget for this call, we believe that, amid the ongoing crisis and with public calls for cultural funding either canceled or indefinitely postponed, such support is more necessary than ever.

Artistic Residency and Public Presentation of Gaelle Axelbrun’s Play Held as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, an artistic residency of French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun took place at Heartefact House in Belgrade, as part of the European project Playground. During this intensive seven-day working period, Gaelle, together with director Tara Manić, translator Olja Petronić, and the acting ensemble—Nevena Kočović, Jana Bjelica, and Andrej Nježić—explored the dramaturgical and performative potential of her play Far from the Mud in Which We Sink into Sleep.

Residency of French Author Gaelle Axelbrun in Belgrade as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, the Heartefact House in Belgrade will host a residency for French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun as part of the European project Playground. This intensive seven-day residency, organized by Heartefact, is part of an international collaboration focused on the development of contemporary dramatic texts by emerging European authors.

First Seminar for Youth from Serbia Held as Part of the Regional VIBE Program

From June 20 to 22, 2025, Heartefact organized a three-day seminar for young people from Serbia in Belgrade as part of the regional program VIBE – Connecting Young People. The program brings together youth from Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and exchange. Designed as a space for learning, dialogue, and connection, it focuses on human rights, regional cooperation, the shared history of the region, and reflections on the future that young people wish to shape through activism and civic engagement.