Are you a freelancer, a journalist in an early stage of your career or a student? Do you work for an editorial team that can’t afford to pay for your participation in Breakwater? Thanks to the support of our partners, the Breakwater Festival offers grants to young journalists and media professionals from Central Europe, the Balkans, and parts of the Eastern Partnership countries, enabling them to take part in the festival.
Applicants must demonstrate that they will make full use of the workshops and meetings organized as part of the Breakwater Festival.
There are still a few months to go before the festival. In the meantime, we are actively working to secure funding for the fellowship programme, and your interest helps us continue these efforts.
Competition is high, so you need to convince us that you will get the most out of the workshops and meetings taking place during the festival.
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The fellowship competition is open to full-time journalists and editors working in print, online media, television, video, radio, documentary film, podcasts and multimedia, including full-time freelancers, from the following countries:
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Belarus and Ukraine, as well as Russian professionals from exiled media.
Experience in investigative, quality, or data journalism will be an advantage, but not a requirement.
We give priority to journalists from Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian exiled media, as well as those who can demonstrate a strong personal motivation for the journalism profession.
If you are unable to cover the costs of attending the festival and come from a country not on this list, please apply anyway. Simply provide us with more information at the end of the form in the ‘Additional comments’ section.
- return flight/travel to Gdańsk
- a hotel room for three nights
- transport between Gdańsk Airport and the hotel
- a festival ticket
NOTE: The fellowship does not cover per diem, visa fees, or transportation to and from the airport in the country of origin. Fellowship recipients are responsible for covering these costs themselves.
The number of fellowships is limited and subject to the availability of funds. Decisions regarding fellowship awards are discretionary and final. The organiser reserves the right to change the scope or form of benefits.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 30, 2026.
Fellowship recipients will be notified by email of their acceptance to the festival by June 16, 2026.