Quick Start for Small Projects

Last modified by Veronika Kocher on Friday, 04 Sep 2026 14:45

Quick start for a small artistic or research project

PREPARE · QUICK START · SMALL PROJECTS

Minimum viable project setup

For a small, short or low-complexity project, you do not need a large management system. You do need a small set of decisions that prevents funding, rights, data, budget or handover problems later.

Use this page if: the project is small enough that a full project plan would be disproportionate, but it still involves money, collaborators, data/materials, public presentation or third-party rights. If any red flag at the bottom applies, switch to the full Get Started workflow.

20–30 MINUTE PROJECT CHECK

Decide these eight things before you start

1 · What is the project?
Write 3–6 sentences: objective, activity, result, audience.

2 · Who is responsible?
Name project lead, budget/contact person and collaborators.

3 · Who is the applicant?
University, individual, association, partner organisation?

4 · How much will it cost?
Personnel/fees, materials, travel, services, venue, rights, documentation.

5 · What needs permission?
Images, music, texts, participants, personal data, venue, event, recording?

6 · Where do the files/materials live?
One primary location + backup + named access.

7 · What will be shared?
Public output, documentation, credits, licence/access.

8 · What happens at the end?
Master files, final documents, archive/repository/handover/deletion.

FUNDING IN 5 MINUTES

Choose the closest route, then read the current call

Small internal art/research activity at the Angewandte

Check SUP and current internal open calls first.

Angewandte Open Calls

Arts-based research

PEEK is the central Austrian research route when artistic practice is integral to the research question; it is not a “small project” scheme, so use the full planning route.

FWF PEEK

Artistic production / presentation

Check the relevant federal BMWKMS artistic discipline and, for Vienna, MA 7.

BMWKMS calls · MA 7

Mobility / residency

Check Culture Moves Europe and current Austrian mobility programmes.

Culture Moves Europe

Quick call-fit rule: confirm applicant eligibility, project type, exclusions, deadline, earliest project start, eligible costs, funding percentage/co-financing and reporting requirements before you write the application.

MINIMUM DOCUMENTATION

Create one project folder with these files

File	Minimum content
01_Project_Summary	Title, objective, project type, people, dates, outputs, audience.
02_Budget	Costs, funding source, co-financing/own contribution, notes on eligible costs.
03_Timeline	Start/end, 4–8 milestones, public presentation/deposit/closure.
04_Roles	Who decides, creates, buys, signs, stores, publishes and hands over.
05_Rights_Ethics	Third-party material, licences, participants, personal data, consent, unresolved issues.
06_Storage_Backup	Primary location, backup, access list, master-file location.
07_Funder_Rules	Call PDF/link, deadline, start rule, budget rules, reporting, contact.
08_Closure	What is retained, published, deposited, handed over or deleted.

AUSTRIA · MINIMUM LEGAL / ADMIN CHECK

Do not skip these because the project is small

Correct applicant / institutional approval

Written agreements with paid collaborators / contractors

Participant information / consent / data protection where relevant

Social insurance / tax route if working independently

Venue / event / safety permission if publicly presented

Fair and eligible payment in the budget

Evidence: invoices, contracts, approvals, payment records

USE THE FULL GET STARTED PAGE IF…

These are signs that your project is no longer “quick start”

You are applying to FWF, Horizon Europe, Creative Europe cooperation or another complex external programme.

There are several institutions, countries or formal partners.

You employ people or have a significant personnel budget.

You collect sensitive/personal data or work with minors/vulnerable participants.

You use substantial third-party copyrighted material.

There is complex equipment, construction, public-space work, safety risk or permits.

The project has multiple publication/repository/preservation obligations.

The funder requires co-financing, procurement, audit, open science or a DMP.

Need help finding a call? Start with Angewandte Open Calls and Support Kunst und Forschung. Send a short project idea, applicant, duration and rough budget to projektsupport@uni-ak.ac.at.

Need the full checklist? Continue to Get Started.

TRAINING & WORKSHOPS

Training, workshops & consultation sessions

Relevant opportunities for this topic will be shown here automatically from the central calendar.

COMING SOON

USEFUL MATERIALS

Practical Resources

Use practical resources when you need a concise overview, a step-by-step procedure or a ready-to-use project aid.

Info Sheets
COMING SOON

Short reference guides for common questions and decisions.

Tutorials
COMING SOON

Step-by-step guidance for specific tasks and workflows.

Checklists & Templates
COMING SOON

Ready-to-use checklists and templates for planning, managing and closing projects.