The initiative reaches its third edition in 2026 after funding 41 projects in its first two calls. Last year alone, 19 proposals were selected, ranging from a short film made using stop-motion techniques to a podcast devoted to recovering grandmothers’ stories, as well as the recording of an EP and events linked to the music industry.
Zaragoza City Council’s Youth Councillor, Ruth Bravo, said Friday that the aim goes beyond awarding a grant. She described the programme as a kind of “evolved grant” because, in addition to funding, it provides support in finding spaces, carrying out municipal procedures and contacting other public administrations and private organisations. “Our commitment is to support them and provide the resources they need so their ideas can grow and become a reality,” Bravo said.
UP TO €3,000 DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE
The grants will be open to young people aged 14 to 30 who are registered as residents, live or study in Zaragoza. The amount will depend on how many people take part in each project: individual initiatives may receive up to €1,000, those made up of between two and five young people up to €2,000, and those with more than five participants may receive up to €3,000.
The City Council may finance up to 100% of the proposed amount, and the proposals must have a public dimension and align with the values set out in the Youth Strategy 2030. The range of possibilities is broad, according to the Youth Department: publishing a comic or poetry collection, organising a play, shooting a short film, developing an app, putting on a concert or launching a street art initiative are among the examples.
“Young people have a great deal of talent, initiatives and an enormous ability to turn ideas into projects,” Bravo said, stressing that one of the main difficulties arises when it is time to manage permits, resources or spaces. To prevent bureaucracy from holding proposals back, the Youth Service will support applicants throughout the application process.
30 DAYS TO APPLY FOR THE GRANTS
The call is expected to be published next week and, from that point, applicants will have 30 days to submit their applications through the municipal website. The Youth Department will also provide information and assistance to young people who have questions about how to complete the administrative procedure.
The programme has already produced very different projects in Zaragoza. They include Carlos Magallón’s stop-motion short film, which held one of its first screenings at El Túnel before taking part in national competitions; an event organised by María Carrascosa with women professionals from the music industry; and Lucía Alamán’s first EP, made up of five original songs.
Another project was the podcast “Stories of Our Grandmothers”, launched under the slogan “Grandma, tell me more” to preserve memories and experiences across generations. Previous calls also supported the Coro Joven de Aragón, with around 60 members; a musical with 15 participants; urban art festivals; fantasy and science fiction events; a fashion exhibition; and a YouTube channel dedicated to traditional sports.
The City Council is now seeking new proposals capable of leaving the drawer and reaching the city. The intention, Bravo added, is for the projects not to remain solely with their creators, but to have an impact in Zaragoza and be enjoyed by other residents.
