- The applications are open to all existing cultural and creative businesses registered and functioning within the Republic of Armenia with the intention of expanding their commercial strength, sustainability, and profitability. 

- Applicants can be from any creative sector or multi-disciplinary (Visual Arts; Fine Arts; Literature; Film, TV, and Animation; Music; Fashion; Creative Design; Performance Arts; and beyond).

- Up to 3 team members per business can partake in the program, one of them being the business owner. Each selected business must appoint a team leader to be responsible for attending all sessions and performing all program-related duties. If the business owner is not the team leader, they still must be part of it and remain involved throughout the program to ensure that all work is done in accordance with their business goals and vision. 

- The team leader must have an upper-intermediate or advanced level of proficiency in the English language in order to be able to complete all written material such as the weekly assignments and assets and attend individual consultations potentially held in English.
 

We are looking for businesses that:

- have a demonstrated track record in the creative industries. 

- have artistically strong and dynamic content and/or programming.

- have capacity and designated team to participate in Artbox Accelerator meaningfully. 

- have potential and desire for growth.

- are practical and have a realistic approach to bringing their plans to life. 

- are willing and open to expand their products, customers, marketing, and more to gain profitability.

Before you begin the submission process, please prepare the following materials for upload. If you have these materials ready, the submission process itself should take you no more than 15 minutes. The application must be submitted in agreement and by approval of the business owner. We accept applications in English (preferable language) or Armenian. 

1. A high-resolution presentable image or logo of your business.
- Requirements:
- High-quality picture (min 1500px x 1500px)
- Name your file as follows: BusinessName_photo (e.g. MyMusicStudio_photo)
- Accepted formats: PNG or JPG
- Maximum size: 10MB

2. A video introduction. We’d like to know a little more about your business. Present it to us and tell us why you’re excited about the program.
Requirements:
- Film yourself on camera, phone, or webcam.
- Accepted formats: MP4, MPEG, AVI, FLV, or QuickTime
- Maximum duration: 3 minutes
- Name your file as follows: BusinessName_video (e.g. MyMusicStudio_video)
- Upload the introductory video to Google Drive, Vimeo, DropBox, or YouTube to provide us with a link.
- Make sure you give us viewing access to your file.

3. A high-resolution headshot for each team member.
Requirements:
- High-quality picture (min 1500px x 1500px) with a clear background, uncovered face, and homogeneous light per team member.
- Name your file as follows: NameSurname_headshot (e.g. AramAramyan_headshot)
- Accepted formats: PNG or JPG
- Maximum size: 10MB

4. A portfolio that would help us determine the potential of your submission. This could include your business brochure, your business model, your strategic plan, your financial forecast, a video presentation link, or a press review for example.
Requirements:
- Name your file as follows: InstitutionName_portfolio (e.g. MyMusicStudio_portfolio)
- Make sure you do not include just links to materials with no explanations. Please provide a sentence or two explaining what each piece of material or link is. 
- Maximum size: 10MB
- Accepted format: PDF

5. Optional: A Curriculum Vitae for each team member.
Requirements:
- Name your file as follows: NameSurname_CV (e.g. AramAramyan_CV)
- Maximum size: 10MB
- Accepted format: PDF

During your submission, you will have to reply to several questions which you can get acquainted with below. We advise you to type and save your answers in a document on your computer or cloud service before submitting them through the application form in order to ensure that you can access them in case of a technical issue:

- Tell us about your business: what is its mission, what makes it unique and with a high market or audience potential? (200 words maximum)
- Present us the team behind your business: what makes it a strong one? (200 words maximum)
- What have been your business’s main achievements? (300 words maximum)
- What are your current challenges? (300 words maximum)
- What are the short-term objectives and long-term vision for your business? (300 words maximum)
- How would you spend €30,000 to make your business grow? (200 words maximum)
- What do you expect to gain from Artbox Accelerator? (200 words maximum)
 

The final deadline for applications is Sunday, July 30, 2023 (11:59 PM, Yerevan time). Please note that applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. We receive applications exclusively through the application portal. Applications sent via email or other means/channels will not be accepted. 

In case of any questions, please feel free to contact our team via info@artbox.am: we would be glad to assist you in the application process.

The evaluation process will last up to 4 weeks after the application deadline. Through a rigorous selection process, the selection committee will evaluate submissions. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit further documents and join a video interview for the final evaluation. All applicants will be notified about the results after the evaluation process. 

- I have a creative business idea, can I apply?
No, the program is designed for accelerating existing creative businesses. For projects in the idea stage, you can check out Artbox Incubator.

- My business is not located in Armenia, can I apply?
Artbox programs are designed to develop and boost the creative economy in Armenia, so your business must be registered and functioning within the Republic of Armenia to be eligible for the program
 

- I have just launched my business, am I eligible? 
For this program, we will give preference to businesses with a demonstrated track record and potential for growth and expansion. In case you want to apply with a newly-established business, your business portfolio will need to be convincing enough for your application to be reviewed along with other more seasoned applicants.
 

- If my business gets selected for the program, does that mean I will receive the grant?
Participation in the program does not guarantee that you will be selected for the acceleration grant. You will go through a developed curriculum and work on your plan which you will submit as part of your grant application at the end of the program.
 

- I am the owner of the business, do I need to appoint someone else as team lead?
If you have time to meaningfully take part in all workshops and sessions as well as work on and submit all assignments in time, you can apply as the team lead. However, if you think you might have scheduling and load issues during the program, we strongly advise that you assign a different team member to be the team lead. Please note that business owner still must be part of the team and remain involved throughout the program
 

- What language is the program conducted in?
The main workshops are available in both English and Armenian through simultaneous interpreting. However, for the written materials and for possible personal meetings with mentors, you will need to ensure that you or your teammates have an average or advanced command of English.
 

- How much time is required to dedicate to the Artbox program weekly? 
On average Artbox participants spend at least 5 hours weekly on program-related tasks. It includes 2 hour online workshops on Mondays (5-7PM Yerevan time), 30-minute online consultations on Fridays and the time needed to complete the weekly assignments.
 

- Is the program physical or I can join online?
Artbox programs are conducted online, so there is no requirement to attend any physical session.