Cinekid x Amarte Open Call MediaLab 2026
Are you a game developer, interactive installation maker, A.I. specialist, XR developer, creative coder or do you bring various media forms together in another way? And is your idea suitable for children aged 3 to 14? Then we are looking for you!
This year, the Amarte Foundation and Cinekid are again giving two creators the chance to create a new interactive and immersive work for the Cinekid MediaLab 2026. To ensure the sustainability of the work and to better support fair pay, a larger budget has been made available this year. A total of €15,000 is available per project for production. In total, two projects will be selected.
The open call goes live on March 31, 2026, and the submission deadline is Wednesday, May 10, 2026, at 23:59.
The call is open to Dutch-based creators of innovative media, creators who choose a new medium or explore the boundaries of an existing medium. Think immersive, interactive and new media works such as online experiences, games, physical installations, live performances, innovative film screenings or outdoor experiences on location, all made for (part of) a young audience (3-14 years).
Cinekid Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is therefore centered around: Celebrating Together.
In a world full of instability and change, it’s more important than ever to create moments of shared joy. Laughing, playing, watching, and discovering together brings people closer. It gives energy, recharges you, and it positively affects communities. These are the moments communities grow. Shared experiences create a sense of “we,” and that’s exactly what we need today.
The concept can be either fiction or non-fiction, but the works should playfully surprise, amaze or offer children a new insight into themselves or others through a mix of art, media and technology.
The jury, composed of experts nominated by Amarte and Cinekid, will decide who has the best idea and gets to realise it.
The winners will be announced at the end of May 2026, after which they will have until September to realise their new work. In October (autumn holidays) the work will be exhibited in the MediaLab at the Cinekid Festival's main location in Amsterdam Noord. The festival will take place from 5 to 16 October 2026.
The selected works have the opportunity to tour the Netherlands in 2027 and will be exhibited at various locations.
Attachments of submission:
- Project plan (2 A4)
- Budget (1 A4)
- Planning (1 A4)
- Portfolio (max. 3 pages)
Check all rules and regulations here.
Questions about the Open Call can be addressed to Leonieke Verhoog, Head of the Cinekid MediaLab, at medialab@cinekid.nl.