The European Cultural Foundation (ECF) is a Netherlands-based independent cultural foundation. Its mission is to “make a tangible impact on civil society, citizen initiatives, public opinion and policy proposals to combat the fragmenting forces jeopardising peace and social progress in Europe”. Organisation The European Cultural Foundation was set up in Geneva in 1954 by the Swiss philosopher Denis de Rougemont. ECF’s first President was Robert Schuman, one of the principal architects of the European Economic Community, which later evolved into the European Union. From the start, ECF focused on implementing a European grants programme, based on the idea of putting culture at the intersection of education, social sciences and history. In 1960, ECF moved to Amsterdam at the initiative of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, who was ECF’s President from 1955-77. Since then ECF’s programme has evolved with the shifting dynamics of European politics. In the 1960s, ECF focused on the future of Europe through a youth forum on education and an initiative called Plan Europe 2000. In the 1970s, the emphasis shifted towards student mobility – and from 1987 to 1995, ECF managed the Erasmus student exchange programme. As Europe continued to expand, ECF’s focus turned to the cultural dimension of European integration and enlargement – encompassing the wider European Neighbourhood and including capacity building work in the Mediterranean area and Eastern Europe. The foundation’s work continues to support cultural exchange and creative expression across wider Europe today, through advocacy work, media activism, partnerships, events and grant programmes. This included STEP travel grants, which encouraged mobility; and the TANDEM Cultural Exchange programme, which facilitated the exchange of cultural managers. Between 2013 and 2017, ECF has been working in close collaboration with cultural organisations in Croatia, France, Poland, Moldova, Spain and Sweden as part of the Connected Action for the Commons network this has led to a series of Idea Camps in France, Sweden and Spain inspiring several special editions of Eurozine. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands is currently the President of ECF and Extraordinary Member of ECF’s Supervisory Board. Since november 2018, André Wilkens is the director of the foundation. ECF is a registered charity and is funded by Vriendenloterij (previous ) and Nederlandse Loterij in partnership with Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds. ECF Awards The European Cultural Foundation has initiated multiple awards, to recognise the work of artists and academics. From 2004 to 2013, ECF granted the Cultural Policy Research