The experimental audiovisual platform HAMACA, as a partner of the Barcelona CREA program, is launching this production-oriented research grant to fund research processes aimed at creating a new experimental audiovisual work connected to Barcelona’s cultural context.

The purpose of this financial support is to assist with the initial phases of theoretical and documentary research, conceptualization, fieldwork, exploration of audiovisual practices, and/or planning, but not the full development of the work. The research must be dedicated to a single-channel work, with no restrictions on the type of proposal, except for conventional short and feature-length fiction films.

This grant is aimed at artists and researchers—individuals or collectives—of any age and nationality who wish to begin production on an experimental audiovisual work related to the city of Barcelona or its metropolitan area.

This connection is considered established when at least one of the following conditions is met:

• The subject matter of the proposal relates to the city of Barcelona or its metropolitan area.
• The applicant (individual or entity) is a resident of Barcelona or its metropolitan area.
• The applicant (individual or entity) is connected to the cultural fabric of Barcelona or its metropolitan area, as evidenced by the submitted documentation.

Projects must be original and newly created. Particular emphasis will be placed on their substance and the significance they hold for the participants’ professional development.

RULES
The selected project will receive a grant of 6,000 euros, to be used entirely for research and production (including professional's fees). The project may receive additional funding, provided that the total budget does not exceed 25,000 euros. The amount will be paid, once the acceptance agreement has been formalized, via an invoice issued by the winning artist(s), with the €6,000 serving as the taxable base.

The project will receive support and monitoring from HAMACA, as well as mentorship or consultation from an external professional, depending on the needs of the selected project.

The research will have a maximum duration of 6 months, at the end of which a brief report must be submitted. The resulting work, the rights to which will belong to the author, will become part of the HAMACA archive and will be distributed on a non-exclusive basis through its public programs. In all communication and dissemination of the project, the logos and graphic elements provided by the ICUB and the HAMACA Association must be used.

REGISTRATION AND SELECTION
Project selection will be carried out by a committee composed of three experts from the experimental and artistic audiovisual sector.

The submission deadline is June 18, 2026. Registration is free. The jury’s decision will be published on July 20, 2026, at hamacaonline.net. Proposals must be submitted exclusively via the online form, with all fields completed and the required documents attached. The project must not contain any content that promotes intolerance, patriarchal ideologies, or discrimination based on ability, age, gender, nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Required information:

• Basic information about the applicant.
• Professional background (PDF, max. 1 page).
• Project title.
• Synopsis (max. 1,500 characters).
• Project development + Implementation plan and timeline + Budget (PDF, max. 5 pages).
• Links to previous audiovisual works (in digital format).

REQUIREMENTS

• Only single-channel works will be accepted.
• Short and feature-length fiction films intended for conventional cinema circuits are excluded.
• Planned collaborations and the resources allocated to each must be included, specifying which tasks the artist will undertake and which will be subcontracted.
• Works may be in any language but must include Catalan subtitles.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Quality, coherence, and relevance in relation to the current creative, sociopolitical, and environmental context (35%).
• Coherence of the production plan and financial viability: technical study, production schedule, relationship between time and workload, collaborations, budget, and compensation (25%).
• Alignment of the project with the scope and timeline of the call for proposals (20%).
• Capacity to execute the project based on prior experience (10%).
• Compliance with the limits and specifications outlined in the guidelines and application form (10%).

Participation in this call for proposals implies acceptance of the guidelines and the jury’s decision.

Conflict of interest policy
Members of the jury will sign a declaration of no conflict of interest before deliberations begin. Should any member of the jury identify a conflict of interest during the evaluation process, they will abstain from assessing the project in question and this will be recorded in the minutes.

Gender parity in the jury's composition
The jury shall consist of at least three experts in the field of visual arts and digital culture. Gender parity (a minimum of 50% women and/or non-binary individuals) shall be ensured, as well as diversity in professional profiles and backgrounds. The jury shall include at least one person independent of the ICUB and the HAMACA Association to reinforce impartiality.

COMPATIBILITY OF GRANTS
“Barcelona Crea” grants will not be compatible in the following cases:

• Proposals that have received grants or funding from Barcelona City Council or a grant from programmes linked to the “Barcelona Crea” grants of the Institute of Culture or the Barcelona Crea – Fábricas de Creación calls for proposals or other associated organisations, prior to the date of submission of the application for the “Barcelona Crea” grants.
• Natural or legal persons who have been recipients of a grant in the calls for applications over the last two years for the “Barcelona Crea” grants from the Institute of Culture or the Barcelona Crea – Fábricas de Creación calls for applications or other associated organisations.

TIMELINE

• Call for applications open: 25 May to 18 June 2026 at midnight.
• Announcement of selected project: 20 July 2026 on hamacaonline.net.
• Signing of the acceptance agreement: 23 July 2026.
• Project implementation: from 26 July 2026 to 25 January 2027.
• Submission of the project report: 25 January 2027.

OBLIGATIONS OF THE BENEFICIARY
The beneficiary person or entity must comply with the purpose of the grant, the implementation timetable, the institutional communication guidelines (brand manual), the conditions set out in the terms and conditions, and the award decision. They must also provide the information and documentation required by the monitoring and control bodies, and retain supporting documents for the statutory retention period. At the same time, they undertake to attend monitoring meetings when invited and to provide, if requested, interim results (samples, materials or brief reports).

Brand Manual
The beneficiary person or entity must use, in all communication and dissemination of the project, the logos and graphic elements provided by the ICUB and the HAMACA Association. Furthermore, they must include in the credits the references established by contract. Part or all of the work may be disseminated by these entities provided it is not for commercial use. The Brand Manual will be provided upon the announcement of the grant award and must be applied correctly and visibly in all promotional materials (posters, leaflets, websites, social media, press kits, videos, etc.). The proportions, colour or layout of the logos must not be altered, nor may any graphic elements be incorporated that distort the visual identity. 

Requirement to give advance notice of activities
The beneficiary individual or organisation must notify the ICUB and the HAMACA Association at least 15 calendar days in advance of any public activity related to the project (presentations, exhibitions, workshops, screenings, etc.) during the first five years.
This notification must include: the date, venue, a description of the activity, and the planned promotional materials.
The purpose of the advance notice is to allow for the inclusion of such events in the communication and publicity channels of the ICUB and the HAMACA Association.

Intellectual Property and Use of images
Participating individuals and legal entities assume authorship of their works or proposals and undertake not to submit audiovisual, phonographic, musical or image materials for which they do not hold duly accredited rights of use.

Barcelona City Council and the Hamaca Association accept no liability for any misuse of intellectual property rights by applicants or organisations.
By participating in the “Barcelona Crea” grant scheme, participating individuals and organisations authorise Barcelona City Council and the Hamaca Association to reproduce and disseminate the proposals should they be successful, exclusively for promotional purposes, without any commercial objective, and through any medium (website, social media, press, institutional publications, etc.).

Furthermore, successful applicants shall grant, on a non-exclusive basis, to Barcelona City Council, the ICUB and the Hamaca Association, the rights to exploit the works resulting from the creative process, specifically the rights of reproduction, distribution, public communication and adaptation, in any format, for the purpose of carrying out educational activities and the promotion, dissemination and publicisation of the activities of Barcelona City Council and the ICUB itself.

Barcelona City Council and the ICUB reserve the right to publicise the results of the call for entries through any medium (the internet, the media, television, radio, etc.).

Monitoring and incidents Comittee
The beneficiary individual or organisation must disclose any conflict of interest that may affect the implementation of the project. 
The HAMACA Association provides a monitoring and incidents committee comprising the organisation’s technical team. 

Payment
The grant of €6,000 will be paid in a single amount to the beneficiary once the call for applications has been resolved and the contract with the HAMACA Association has been formalised. The corresponding income tax IRPF (15%) must be deducted from this payment. This amount will be managed directly by the HAMACA Association under the collaboration agreement with the ICUB and transferred to the beneficiary in advance to facilitate the project’s implementation. Beneficiaries must issue an invoice to the HAMACA Association by July 2026.

→ Contact info@hamacaonline.net

→ REGISTRATION FORM

The image of the call takes a frame from Manera 2, d'Élan d’Orphium.

With the support of: