“Creative Europe”: more than €2 billion to support the recovery, resilience and diversity of cultural and creative industries

After the programme was adopted “Creative Europe” 2021-2027 the work programme for the first year, the Commission today launched new activities in support of cultural and creative industries in Europe and beyond. In 2021, the Creative Europe programme will provide an unprecedented budget of around €300 million to help professionals and artists from all cultural sectors cooperate between disciplines and across borders to find more opportunities, reach new audiences. 26/05/2021

Today's adoption is the basis for the first calls for proposals under the new programme. These calls will be available to all organisations active in the relevant cultural and creative sectors. The total budget of eur 2.4 billion over seven years has increased by 63 % compared to the previous budget. The “creative Europe” programme also aims to increase the competitiveness of cultural industries while supporting their efforts to become greener, more digital and inclusive. Particular attention is paid to strengthening the resilience and recovery of cultural and creative sectors, taking into account the Covid-19 pandemic.

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Maria Gabriela said,More than 8 million people across THE EU are working in the cultural sector. The culture does not have borders and nationality. Art is a window to the world and it helps build bridges between us. At a time when museums, cinemas, cultural heritage sites, theatre resumed activities, i would like to reiterate the Commission's support for the cultural and creative sectors. With the increased budget, the “creative Europe” programme will seek to strengthen sectoral recovery while contributing to the wide variety of diversity and creativity they offer to us. "

Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Bretton said: “Artistic and creative expressions are the basis of cultural and creative industries and the European identity. The renewed “creative Europe” will give momentum to European talks that resonate globally and will support European creators, producers, distributors and exhibition actors who are heavily affected by the pandemic. By supporting cooperation throughout the value chain and language boundaries, as well as new innovative business models, “MEDIA” will strengthen a dynamic and cultural-diverse audiovisual ecosystem. For the first time and at a time when the threat of media pluralism is growing, the “creative Europe” programme will also contribute to a healthy and sustainable news media sector across the Union.”

In 2021, the “Creative Europe” programme sets out common objectives for the cultural and creative sectors. It focuses on the international creation of European works, global circulation and promotion, innovation in various sectors and facilitating access to finance through higher EU co-financing rates. In developing and implementing its activities, gender equality and EU environmental commitments should be respected in all actions and projects financed.

THE “creative Europe” sub-programme “MEDIA” supports the development and dissemination of internationally attractive films and audiovisual works in Europe and beyond. It helps develop talent and manages targeted activities to improve media literacy, pluralism and freedom. The programme will continue to promote European cultural and linguistic diversity.

The activities of the Creative Europe programme include:

• the creation of support schemes for the translation of literary works and the development of publishing partnerships;
• EU awards in the field of literature, musical, architectural and cultural heritage, as well as the European Capitals of Culture and the European Heritage Label;
• Strengthening the accessibility and visibility of European audiovisual works in different platforms and across borders;
• A “creative innovation laboratory” to promote innovative approaches to the creation, dissemination and promotion of content in various sectors;
• promoting media literacy, pluralism and freedom as European values.

General information

The cultural and creative sectors have always been a rich aspect of European life, which has contributed not only to European social cohesion and diversity, but also to its economy, representing 4,2 % of EU total GDP and 3,7 % of EU labour.

In 2014, EU support for the cultural and creative sectors was consolidated in a separate funding programme, the “Creative Europe” programme. Since then, the programme consisted of three branches: the notion of “culture” covers all the cultural and creative sectors, with the exception of the audiovisual and news media sector; the branch “MEDIA” provides support to the audiovisual and film industry; and the “cross-sector” branch provides opportunities for cross-sectoral cooperation.

In the 2014-2020 programme “Creative Europe”, 41 countries participated, the programme provided more than 13 000 grants, each of which benefited a number of organisations. It co-financed 647 cultural cooperation projects between 3760 organisations across Europe, more than 16 000 professional training, more than 5000 films and/or distribution, 1144 cinemas and 3500 books across Europe.