Regional Government already supported over 125 projects promoting creativity and young talent, with investment exceeding €263,000 - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego

The Regional Secretariat for Youth, Housing and Employment, through the Regional Directorate for Youth, has already supported more than 125 projects under the AECT - Support Programme for Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Young Talent, with an investment of over €263,000.

According to Maria João Carreiro, the “significant uptake” of the AECT, created in 2023 by the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition Government, confirms the “scope of this financial instrument to support youth initiative and entrepreneurship” in the creative and performing arts.

“The AECT is a programme designed to stimulate entrepreneurial skills and initiative among young people in creative fields. For this reason, it provides different types of support for different projects, ranging from artistic residencies to small projects requiring an initial boost, high-potential projects and training,” explained the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment.

The AECT includes, among others, the START, IMPACT and REART measures, for which applications are currently underway and must be submitted on the Youth Portal at juventude.azores.gov.pt.

The START measure, for which applications are open until February 28, aims to support the implementation of small projects in youth entrepreneurship and creativity that contribute to the initial impetus for youth creation and innovation. Approved projects must start in the second half of this year for a period of up to six months and with overall funding of up to €1,500.

The IMPACT measure, for which applications are open until March 31, is designed to support creative and entrepreneurial initiatives by young people that have an impact on the community and/or potential for sustainability. Projects, running for up to 12 months, must start in the second half of this year and are eligible for public funding of up to €5,000.

The REART measure supports innovative projects in the form of short-term artistic residencies lasting three to five days, involving up to three young people per residency. Funding for each project can reach €1,500 (€100 per day per participant), with a requirement to present the project to the local community.

Young people aged 16 to 30 who are born or resident in the Azores, informal groups of young people, non-profit organisations based in the region and the Houses of the Azores can apply for AECT projects to promote Azorean identity. Artisans registered with the Crafts and Design Centre of the Azores can apply for the REART measure.

All information about the AECT can be found at juventude.azores.gov.pt.