SOILSCAPE is an initiative designed to champion soil preservation and enhance soil literacy by blending scientific knowledge with artistic and creative practices. Guided by Association Française pour l'Étude du Sol (AFES) and supported by actors from the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), artists, researchers, educators, and civil society organisations, and public authorities, SOILSCAPE aims at fostering a collaborative approach to soil awareness across Europe and beyond.
Operating across 30 regions, the project seeks to establish a vibrant network of over 120 stakeholders and promote transformative engagement with soil through four thematic stages: Contemplation; Preparation; Action; Sustainability.
Open Call Overview
The SOILSCAPE Open Call aims at integrating arts and creative practices into scientific approaches, with the aim of elevating public understanding and appreciation of soil.
To do so, a total of €2 million has been allocated to fund sub-projects through a Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) scheme, offering two distinct categories of support for applicants:
SOILSCAPE FSTP: This strand will fund 12 sub-projects operating at local, national, and transnational levels, each falling into one of three durations: 6, 12, or 18 months. Projects may address one or more of the following strands of action:
- Develop innovative communication campaigns;
- Organise and promote artistic-soil related activities;
- Deploy innovative, creative, and participatory methodologies to engage citizens with soil protection and preservation.
Soil Orchestra FSTP: This stream will fund 24 sub-projects hosted within 8 Soil Orchestras, with a total budget of €960,000. These sub-projects will contribute to the growth and reach of the Soil Orchestras and support the delivery of high-impact Soil Festivals. Participating countries include:
- France;
- Italy;
- Germany;
- Portugal;
- Finland;
- Bulgaria;
- Poland;
- Switzerland.
For further details on eligibility, application requirements, and evaluation criteria, consult the Applicants’ Guide.
Eligibility and Timeline
Applications are welcomed from individual legal entities and small consortia of up to 3 partners dedicated to the integration of artistic, creative, and/or participatory strategies to raise awareness about soil conservation.
Only legal entities from Horizon Europe eligible countries will be accepted.
- Launch: 2 June 2025, 12:00 CEST
- Submission Deadline: 30 September 2025, 17:00 CEST
- Project Start Date: March 2026
All supported projects will undergo a three-phase implementation structure:
- Design;
- Develop;
- Validate.
Interested parties must submit their applications digitally via the official Open Call Platform.
To access updates and additional resources, such as the Open Call Kit, supporting documents, and webinars for open call preparation, explore the SOILSCAPE Open Call webpage.