Creative Europe launches in the UK

Creative Europe has now launched in the UK and will offer a further 9% funding for creative businesses across Europe. The new funding programme from the European Commission is aimed at the cultural and creative sectors and has a €1.46bn budget over its seven year run.

By Paul Banks 29 Jan 2014

Creative Europe launches in the UK
eu flag

Creative Europe has now launched in the UK and will offer a further 9% funding for creative businesses across Europe. The new funding programme from the European Commission is aimed at the cultural and creative sectors and has a €1.46bn budget over its seven year run.

Promoting the programme in the UK will be Creative Europe Desk UK – a new information and advice service from the BFI and the British Film Commission. It replaces the former MEDIA Desk UK and Antennae and the UK Cultural Contact Point.

The MEDIA programme, which ran until 2013, supported the UK audio-visual industries by funding worth just over €100m, with €50m supporting companies directly. The other €50m supported British films released across Europe such as The Iron Lady (€1.5m), Slumdog Millionaire (€1.3m) and The King’s Speech (€1.3m).

Partners joining Creative Europe Desk UK include the Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Creative Scotland and Arts Council Wales and the Welsh Government.

the iron lady

Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, which received €1.5m in MEDIA programme funding

Key factors of the new programme

The new programme combines the European Commission’s existing Culture and MEDIA Programmes and is expected to:

  • Benefit over 300,000 cultural professionals and reach 100 million European citizens.
  • Support the distribution of over 1,000 European films in 2,500 cinemas and translate 5,500 books

The programme will also feature a new bank guarantee worth €121m. Set for launch in 2016, it will see Creative Europe underwrite bank loans to creative businesses.

Amanda Nevill, CEO of the BFI, said: “Supporting and promoting British talent and companies internationally and bringing a diverse range of world and European cinema to British audiences are key priorities for the BFI, and Creative Europe will play an important role in helping us to achieve these aims. The UK is a leader in creativity, and our creative industries are recognised as key engines for economic growth.

“We’re excited to enter into this new partnership with the British Council to help ensure that entrepreneurial professionals across the UK can access and benefit from support through Creative Europe, to help UK film, culture and creativity continue to thrive.”

The MEDIA programme, which ran until 2013, supported the UK audio-visual industries by funding worth just over €100m, with €50m supporting companies directly. The other €50m supported British films released across Europe such as The Iron Lady (€1.5m), Slumdog Millionaire (€1.3m) and The King’s Speech (€1.3m).

Partners joining Creative Europe Desk UK include the Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Creative Scotland and Arts Council Wales and the Welsh Government.

the iron lady

Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, which received €1.5m in MEDIA programme funding

Key factors of the new programme

The new programme combines the European Commission’s existing Culture and MEDIA Programmes and is expected to:

  • Benefit over 300,000 cultural professionals and reach 100 million European citizens.
  • Support the distribution of over 1,000 European films in 2,500 cinemas and translate 5,500 books

The programme will also feature a new bank guarantee worth €121m. Set for launch in 2016, it will see Creative Europe underwrite bank loans to creative businesses.

Amanda Nevill, CEO of the BFI, said: “Supporting and promoting British talent and companies internationally and bringing a diverse range of world and European cinema to British audiences are key priorities for the BFI, and Creative Europe will play an important role in helping us to achieve these aims. The UK is a leader in creativity, and our creative industries are recognised as key engines for economic growth.

“We’re excited to enter into this new partnership with the British Council to help ensure that entrepreneurial professionals across the UK can access and benefit from support through Creative Europe, to help UK film, culture and creativity continue to thrive.”

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