IN-SITU — INclusive Social INnovation for the Tourism Development of Urban and Peri-urban Heritage

1. Background

IN-SITU is a cross-border cooperation project co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT Italy–Tunisia Programme 2021–2027. It brings together a consortium of six partners: the University of Palermo (lead partner), Fondazione MeNo and Essence of Sicily in Italy; ANIMED, the Ministry of Tourism and FLAHLM in Tunisia.

The project co-designs and tests with local residents new models of creative and community-based tourism in two pilot areas: the Medina of Tunis and Villaseta/Montaperto (Agrigento).

Work Package GT2 “Events Production”, led by Fondazione MeNo together with ANIMED, implements an artistic and cultural programme on both shores to regenerate neighbourhood places through contemporary art and participatory practices. In Tunisia, ANIMED leads this component in coordination with Fondazione MeNo.

2. Purpose of the call and links with GT2 activities

ANIMED is launching a call for projects to select four (4) art projects geared towards the local community, designed and implemented through co-creation with residents, craftspeople, associations and users of the Medina of Tunis.

This call implements Activity A.2.1 in Tunisia. The selected projects will subsequently contribute to Activities A.2.3, with potential synergies to be developed with Activity A.2.4 of GT2, as follows:

A.2.1 – Selection and implementation of art projects

Projects will be selected by the joint committee and then deployed locally: up to two months of co-creation work with communities in the Medina, focusing on the tangible and intangible heritage of the selected places.

• Period: September–December 2026 (selection) / January–March 2027 (implementation)
• Commitment of the selected applicant: Design and lead the co-creation process; produce the artwork.

A.2.3 – Cultural programme in the Medina of Tunis

Implemented by ANIMED in coordination with Fondazione MeNo, including:

• A 21-day programme/exhibition with a focus on three weekends;
• Artistic interventions connected to the selected places in the Medina and their new uses;
• An exhibition in Sicily of the co-produced works;
• Synergies with the residency of Italian artists organised by MeNo in Tunisia;
• Potential synergy with “Tunis, Arab Capital of Tourism”.

• Period: March 2027 (indicative)
• Commitment of the selected applicant: Design and lead the co-creation process; produce the artwork or intervention and participate in curatorial activities.

A.2.4 – Synergies with the “Exchange between Sicilian and Tunisian communities” activity

Activity implemented by the Ministry of Tourism.

• Indicative period: March–April 2027
• Commitment of the selected applicant: Participate in exchange activities, with synergies aligned with the Ministry of Tourism’s vision.

3. Nature of the expected projects

Projects must be geared towards the local community and based on co-creation: residents and stakeholders in the Medina must be co-authors of the process, not merely spectators.

All disciplines are eligible, including:

• Theatre and performing arts;
• Music and sound practices;
• Fine and visual arts;
• Photography, video and documentary film;
• Literature and oral storytelling;
• Textile arts and contemporary artistic crafts;
• Public-space design;
• Digital, hybrid and interdisciplinary practices.

Each project proposal must demonstrate:

• An explicit co-creation method: participating groups, method for engaging local communities, workshop format and pace of work in the area;
• A heritage-based approach: connection with the tangible and intangible heritage of the Medina and with one or more identified places;
• Attention to the project’s priority groups: women, young people, young graduates and NEETs, craftspeople and residents;
• A public presentation that can be integrated into the 21-day cultural programme (March 2027);
• An artistic output (installation, recording, publication or documentation) suitable for presentation in Sicily as part of the cross-border exhibition.

4. Participation requirements

• Be an artist, collective or artistic organisation established or resident in Tunisia; international artists wishing to work in Tunisia are covered by the residency call published by Fondazione MeNo;
• Be at least 18 years old on the submission date and have demonstrable artistic experience and an artistic portfolio;
• Be able to enter into a contract with ANIMED and provide the tax documentation required for payment under current Tunisian regulations;
• Be available during the implementation period (January–April 2027), including for possible travel to Sicily;
• Not be in an actual or potential conflict-of-interest situation with ANIMED or the project partners;
• Guarantee equal opportunities, non-discrimination, accessibility, environmental sustainability and the protection of people involved in the activities.

5. Budget and covered costs

Four (4) art projects will be supported. Each selected project will receive:

• A flat fee capped at EUR 3,000 per project, paid in Tunisian dinars at the equivalent value according to the exchange rate applicable to the project, inclusive of all charges and taxes, covering the design and management of the co-creation process and participation in Activities A.2.3 and A.2.4;
• Production support covered by ANIMED: materials, contributors and trainers, installation, exhibition and communication logistics and, where necessary, a production and work space;
• Coverage of travel and accommodation expenses connected with cross-border exchange activities in Agrigento, within the ceilings and arrangements established by the project and subject to available resources.

The proposed budget amounts may be adjusted according to the complexity of the proposal, production needs and the project’s available budget, in compliance with the eligibility rules of the Interreg NEXT Italy–Tunisia Programme.

No production expenditure may be incurred by a selected applicant without ANIMED’s prior written approval. The detailed arrangements will be set out in the individual contract.

6. Application file

• A project note of no more than three pages: project description (artistic intention, target community, sourcing and co-creation method, proposed locations in the Medina, work schedule and form of presentation);
• An indicative estimated budget including the artist’s/collective’s fee, production, exhibition and transport logistics or the audiovisual presentation in Sicily;
• An up-to-date artistic biography and portfolio (online links accepted);
• A CV for individual applications; for collectives and organisations, the lead applicant’s CV and the organisation’s or collective’s business registration document;
• Letters of interest from local partners (associations, craftspeople and institutions in the Medina).

The application may be written in French or Arabic; English is also accepted. ANIMED reserves the right to request clarification or additional information without changing the essential content of the proposal.

7. Selection committee and criteria

Applications will be reviewed by a joint selection committee composed of representatives of Fondazione MeNo, ANIMED and the University of Palermo (UNIPA), as well as, potentially, curators appointed by the three partners.

The committee will compare the proposals against the project objectives and draw up a reasoned report listing the applications reviewed, any exclusions and declarations of absence of conflicts of interest.

8. Submission procedure and indicative timetable

Complete applications must be sent by email as a single PDF file to:
contact@animed-network.com

Email subject:
“IN-SITU Call for Art Projects – Medina of Tunis – [Name of applicant / collective]”

Selected projects will be notified by email in December 2026.

Deadline for individual questions or requests for clarification:
15 October 2026.

This call is published on ANIMED’s official pages and on the programme portal
www.italietunisie.eu
and is shared by the project partners.

9. Intellectual property, communication and personal data

Moral rights in the work remain with the artist. The individual contract will govern the exploitation rights required for the documentation, communication, exhibition and non-commercial promotion of the project results by ANIMED, the partners and the programme, with appropriate attribution of the work.

The selected applicant will cooperate in the photographic and video documentation of the activities and must obtain all necessary authorisations relating to the people, places, images and music used.

All materials produced must comply with the programme’s visual identity, acknowledge the support of the European Union and use the logos in accordance with the official Brand Book.

Personal data will be processed solely for the purposes of this selection procedure, in accordance with Tunisian Law No. 2004-63 on the protection of personal data and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

Submission of an application constitutes full acceptance of this call.