ALF DAY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN 2026
CALL FOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCE PROPOSALS IN THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN
ALF DAY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN 2026
CALL FOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCE PROPOSALS IN THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN
Application Deadline: 25 July 2026 (23:59 CET)
About the Day of the Mediterranean
The Member States of the “Euro-Mediterranean Partnership/Barcelona Process” have declared 28 November as the ‘Day of the Mediterranean’– a day dedicated to cherishing our shared identity, embracing our common heritage, and nurturing the love we hold for the enchanting Mediterranean–. It’s a day where the ties between its two shores grow stronger, and intercultural exchanges flourish.
ALF invites civil society entities to submit proposals to organise community-based musical performances (non-profit, no ticket sales). The most outstanding ones will be selected for simultaneous execution across the Euro-Mediterranean on 28 November 2026. Performances are to take place in partnership with Local Administrations (local government entities) and to be held in public spaces.
Purpose of the call
The objective of the call is to orchestrate simultaneous free musical performances (lasting between an hour and a half and two hours) across different countries of the Euro-Mediterranean region on the same day and at the same time (around 19:00-20:00 CET), to generate a wave-like effect across the region.
Likewise, this call seeks to encourage civil society entities to work in tandem with Local Administrations, to empower them at the local level while promoting the principles and values of intercultural dialogue both at a grassroots scale and to broader audiences. To achieve this, concert proposals must clearly demonstrate engagement with diversity, strong community roots and intercultural added value.
This initiative is organised in coordination with the UfM Secretariat as a complement to its online campaign.
The 2026 Theme: Sounds That Meet in the Med
Sounds That Meet in the Med is an expression of how cultures can come together through music to create a better understanding of one another. When communities shaped by different traditions discover what they hold in common, this is the space where that meeting happens, not just a musical performance, but a living dialogue.
Through this call, we invite civil society organisations and entities, in partnership with local administrations in their areas, to organise a live, cross-cultural musical performance that shows how different cultures – whether from the same country or different origins – can meet on the same stage and generate innovative artistic expressions.
What do you need to do to apply to the call?
- Reach an agreement in principle with a local administration (local government entity) partner, such as a municipality, cultural institution, or regional body, to partner in the organisation of a free musical performance
- Identify a public space that is accessible and open to all, such as a square, a park, a community centre, or any venue that can host a large audience
- Identify a local music group or artists who have a particular intercultural added value and bring together cultural and cross-cultural sounds
- Complete the application form, including the budged breakdown following the budget template provided and elaborate an outline of your idea and the value your concert aims to bring to your local community
Capitalising on the different steps of this call, and to create momentum, the ALF Secretariat will proactively engage in regional outreach campaigns and develop audio-visual materials to effectively communicate, raise awareness and make this initiative visible across the Euro-Mediterranean region. The ALF aims to ensure broad participation in this initiative, fostering a sense of collective ownership and inspiring greater engagement among diverse stakeholders.
Call for participation open until 25/07/26 midnight (CET)
Interested civil society entities of the 43 countries of the Euro-Mediterranean region (Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, The Netherlands, Tunisia and Türkiye) are invited to submit their proposals (in English, French or Arabic) before 25 July 2026 at 23.59 CET via the online application form only.
The same entity may not submit more than one application to this call.
Important note: As this is a call for musical performances, there is room/flexibility for adjustments and refinements. The ALF Secretariat may request modifications to the applications received prior to final selection and implementation to ensure the best use of available resources and maximise its impact. Shortlisted civil society entities have the right to decide whether to proceed with the proposed adjustments or withdraw their applications.
Tasks to be done / coordinated by the selected lead organisations
Conclude a written agreement (contract/MoU/agreement/support letter) with a local administration defining roles and responsibilities (spaces/facilities/permits/logistics?dissemination/other) 1
Contract a local group of musicians with a particular intercultural added value to play between an hour and a half and two hours concert on 28 November 2026
Sign the contract with ALF in which obligations and outputs to be delivered will be described, in line with the detail below
Design a poster for the event following the ALF guidelines, to encourage local participation, using this on social media
Create a Facebook event with the time and location of the performances and adding ALF as a co-host
Carry out the free musical performance (non-profit, no ticket sales) ensuring the visibility of the ALF and the EU 2
Provide at least five professional photos capturing the audience, the event and its impact 2
Produce and publish a short video on Instagram and/or Facebook showcasing highlights of the musical performance 2
Complete the final evaluation form 2
Actively participate in the online meetings organised by the ALF Secretariat
(1): This is a pre-requisite for initiating any payment procedure
(2): The ALF Secretariat will provide the guidelines and related documents regarding these deliverables
Selection criteria
Selection criteria will be based on the quality of the applications received in terms of impact. Priority will be given to civil society entities that are members of the ALF Network. A gender, youth and geographical balance between regions and countries will be observed.
Due to the large number of applications expected, the limited resources available, and the aim of diversifying the beneficiaries, priority will be given to organisations that did not receive funding under the previous Cultural and Intercultural calls launched. We kindly encourage entities to only apply to one of; either this call or the call published simultaneously for “ALF Cultural and Intercultural Activities in Matera and Tetouan”, since a same applicant cannot be selected simultaneously for both calls for applications.
The evaluation process will consider the following key elements:
- Engagement of the Local Administration involved in the free musical performance (30%)
- Music group’s added value in terms of diversity/interculturalism and community rooting (30%)
- Dissemination plan of the free musical performance at the local level (10%)
- Environmental sustainability, gender equality and social responsibility approach (9%)
- Inclusive target audience of the concert at the community level (6%)
- Overall objective and quality of the proposal (15%)
Financial allocation
Applications should be complete and comprehensive and provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds will be used (venues, equipment, live stream, materials, fees, local transportation, main meals, and other necessary elements to carry out the proposed activity), ensuring all elements are covered.
It is strongly recommended that each applicant cover part of the costs of the proposed activity with their own means or through the local administration. This will not only generate a leverage effect on available resources but will also contribute to increasing the number of beneficiaries.
Each selected leading entity will receive a lump sum allocation of up to 3.500 euro to contribute to cover the costs of organising the free musical performance and other related expenses. An additional up to 500 euro may be allocated to the selected proposals that live stream the concert through professional equipment and share it with the ALF Secretariat.
Payment modalities
The submission of a written agreement (contract/MoU/agreement/support letter) between the applying entity and the local administration defining roles and responsibilities is a prerequisite for signing the contract.
- 60% of the final allocation will be released upon provision of proofs of social media posts tagging the official ALF Facebook and Instagram accounts before the musical performance as highlighted above
- 40% will be released after having carried out the free musical performance upon the delivery of the professional photos, the short video showcasing highlights of the musical performance and the lessons learned report, mentioned above.
Indicative timeline 3
25/06/26 Launch of the call for participation
07/07/26 Online information session at 12:00 CET, save the link!
25/07/26 Deadline to submit free musical performances proposals
First half of September/26 Announcement of the selected free musical performances
28/11/26 Implement the free (non-profit-no ticket sales) musical performance
(3): Following the publication of the selection results, an online meeting will be organised with the selected leading entities to share approaches and coordinate the different activities. After their implementation, another online meeting will be held to conduct an ex-post evaluation of the different components of the call.
Background
The ALF, was created in 2005 as a Euro-Mediterranean intergovernmental organisation based in Alexandria. The ALF, inspired by Anna Lindh’s legacy, is committed to fostering intercultural dialogue within its mission of nurturing inclusive societies where diversity is celebrated and everyone’s voice is valued. By promoting peace, justice, and strong partnerships, the ALF strives to create a world where people from diverse backgrounds live in harmony through open and meaningful intercultural exchanges.
ALF brings together organisations, institutions, policy makers, and other change makers from all Euro-Med countries to open a dialogue and cooperate. People meet, learn, and collaborate, through the Foundation’s different Programmes and initiatives in different fields to empower them to create a chain of positive change that touches more lives and communities. Its action is grounded on the two main ALF bodies: Its National Civil Society Networks, with more than 4.700 members, and the 43 States of its Board of Governors.
Framework and financial allocation
This call is being developed within the framework of the EU Grant Phase VII in accordance with the ALF Multiannual Work Programme 2025-2028. The total indicative amount allocated to this call is 120.000 euro.
The ALF reserves the right to award the contracts subject to the availability of the funds.