EU funding opportunities for the arts, heritage, culture & creative industries

The UK has now left the EU and therefore is not eligible to receive EU funding or participate in EU funded projects in the same was as in the past – please take this into account when viewing this information

This website includes a number of webpages which provide a summary of EU funding programmes relevant to the arts, culture, heritage and creative industries.  There are separate webpages for each programme (see links below), which outline key features and practical aspects of each programme, including deadlines and key criteria, and provide lists of examples of previously funded projects (note that some of these are currently still in development).

The EU does provide some significant opportunities, but it does have quite strict rules and criteria, and will not be relevant to all organisations in these sectors.  However, there are many arts and cultural organisations which have received significant funding from one or more of these sources for their projects and initiatives.  Please note that individuals cannot apply for grants – applications must come from an organisation.

Please note that these webpages provide a summary of a very complex situation and therefore include some generalisations & simplifications. 

Euclid offers a range of additional services to help you understand, access and manage EU funding – including phone and email advice, analysis of which funds are right for you, seminars and workshops, help with your application, help with managing your project, and assistance with the preparation of your final reports – full details of these services and how to contact Euclid are provided below.

In addition, for most funds, there are official “contact points” in each member state (including the UK) for most trans-national programmes, Interreg and some of the Structural and Investment Funds) – details of these contact points are provided on the webpage for that programme.

Background to EU Funding

EU funding has to address the key goals and themes of the EU – so there is a significant focus on economic growth (and on addressing the needs of EU regions whose economies lag behind the EU average) and on education, new technologies, climate change, etc.

Funds where partners are NOT required

The UK no longer receives any of this funding.

This support comes via the European Structural & Investments Funds (ESIF): ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), ESF (European Social Fund), EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development – which includes the LEADER programme) and the EMFF (European Maritime & Fisheries Funds).  The majority of ESIF is spent within a single member state without the need for partners from other countries.  There is a lot of money available via the ESIF but these funds can be challenging for the arts and heritage to access.  More information on these funds can be found by clicking here.

Funds where partners are required

The UK is no longer an eligible partner country – though it can still participate as a “third country” – but this is likely to mean UK partners are less attractive than they have been in the past.

The other main group of EU funds are known as the trans-national funds, and, as the name implies, applications to these programmes require some form of partnership between organisations in (usually) 3 or more eligible countries.  These programmes are based on the goal of co-operation and collaboration between member states, and they can offer either or both of the following:

• Projects – where 3 or more organisations from (usually) at least three different European countries collaborate on mutually beneficial activities / events. These must be “project grants” – funding cannot be used for annual revenue funding.
• Mobility – where an individual undertakes a visit or exchange – note that it is also possible to create “projects” by applying for a batch of mobility grants

There is a wide range of themes and topics, with significant links to the EU’s broad goals and themes.  There is a general principle that project grants (but not mobility grants) require some match funding.

There is a separate webpage for each of the key trans-national funds and for the Interreg strands (which are trans-national but funded via the ESIF):

• Creative Europe (culture, media, guarantee fund)
• Erasmus+ (education, training & youth)
• Europe for Citizens
• Horizon 2020 (research and innovation)
• Other: Life+ (environment) / COSME (support for small businesses)
• Interreg V 

Help from Euclid

Euclid is available to help the arts, culture, heritage & creative industries understand, access and manage EU funds – our services include:

Consultancy

• Initial advice by phone or email
• Advice on which EU programmes are right for you
• Advice on applications: help to understand the forms, and in the development & writing of applications
• Advice on managing your project / preparing a final report

EUCLID  www.euclid.info / info@euclid.info