CREATIVE EUROPE: Commission unveils plan to boost cultural and creative sectors
Brussels, 23 November 2011
Thousands of people working in cinema, TV, culture, music, performing arts, heritage and related areas would benefit from increased EU support under the new ‘Creative Europe’ programme unveiled by the European Commission today. With a proposed budget of €1.8 billion for the period 2014-2020, it would be a much-needed boost for the cultural and creative industries, which are a major source of jobs and growth in Europe. The new programme would allocate more than €900 million in support of the cinema and audiovisual sector (area covered by current MEDIA programme) and almost € 500 million for culture (presently covered by the Culture programme). The Commission is also proposing to allocate more than €210 million for a new financial guarantee facility, which would enable cultural operators to access up to €1 billion in bank loans, and would provide around €60 million in support of trans-national policy cooperation and would also aim to foster innovative approaches to audience building and new business models. “This investment will help tens of thousands of artists and culture and audiovisual professionals to safeguard and promote cultural and linguistic diversity by making the most of the Single Market and to reach new audiences in Europe and beyond; without this support, it would be difficult or impossible for them to break into new markets. Creative Europe also promotes cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as contributes to our Europe 2020 objectives for jobs and sustainable growth,” said Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture Multilingualism and Youth. CREATIVE EUROPE is the new EU programme dedicated to the cultural and creative sectors, proposed by the European Commission on 23 November 2011 that will run from 2014 to 2020. The proposal is now under discussion by the Council of EU Ministers and the European Parliament. Why Creative Europe? Europe needs to invest more in its cultural and creative sectors because it significantly contributes to economic growth, employment, innovation and social cohesion. Creative Europe will safeguard and promote cultural and linguistic diversity and strengthen the competitiveness of the cultural and creative sectors. Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, says: ‘The cultural and creative sectors offer great potential to boost jobs and growth in Europe. EU funding also helps thousands of artists and cultural professionals to reach new audiences. Without this support, it would be difficult or impossible for them to break into new markets.’ Creative Europe Helps the cultural and creative sectors to seize the opportunities of the ‘digital age’ and globalisation; Enables the sectors to reach their potential so that they can contribute to the Europe 2020 goals for sustainable growth, jobs and social cohesion; Opens up new international opportunities, markets and audiences; Builds on the success of the MEDIA and Culture programmes. Creative Europe would make a difference: • More funding for artists and cultural professionals to develop their skills and to work across borders. • More funding for transnational cultural activities within and outside of the EU • Support schemes tailored to the specific needs of the audiovisual and the cultural sectors in the EU • Easier access to private funding through guarantees which could generate more than € 1 billion in loans • Increase banking expertise in the cultural and creative sectors Develop Europe’s competitiveness in culture and film while safeguarding cultural and linguistic diversity Creative Europe would provide a lot of opportunities: 300 000 artists and cultural professionals and their work receive funding to reach new audiences beyond their home countries. More than 1 000 European films would receive distribution support, enabling them to be seen by audiences throughout Europe and beyond, on traditional and digital platforms. Thousands of cultural organisations and professionals from Europe would benefit from training to gain new skills and to strengthen their capacity to operate internationally. 2 500 European cinemas would receive support enabling them to ensure that at least 50% of the films they show are European. More than 5 500 books and other literary works will receive support for translation, which will allow readers to enjoy them in their mother tongue. Millions of citizens would be reached.
