Towards a consolidated culture and creativity driven European innovation ecosystem

Overview

Supports the consolidation of a culture- and creativity-driven European innovation ecosystem by building on existing initiatives to create long-term, economically sustainable frameworks. Targets consortia aiming to enhance the innovation capacity of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and their role in cross-sectoral innovation.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of legal entities (e.g., research organizations, SMEs, public bodies, non-profits) from eligible countries. Projects must involve key stakeholders across most EU Member States and Associated Countries, covering a wide range of CCIs.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €5,000,000
• Funding rate: Not specified (lump-sum model)
• Financial support to third parties: Up to €60,000 per third party (grants only)
• Project duration: Minimum 5 years

What Is Funded

• Development of long-term, economically sustainable CCI innovation ecosystems
• Integration and scaling of technologies, solutions, and methods from prior EU-funded R&I projects
• Portfolio approaches to make clusters of CCI organizations investable
• Establishment of common principles and knowledge exchange across Europe
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and assessment frameworks to measure impact
• Activities addressing barriers to CCI-driven innovation (e.g., IPR valuation, policy inconsistencies, entrepreneurship challenges)

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 4–6

Key Dates

• Open date: 2027-05-12
• Deadline: 2027-09-22

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal
• Proposals must adhere to page limits and templates outlined in the call documentation

Post-Award Obligations

• Development of KPIs and assessment frameworks to track progress
• Dissemination of results and knowledge exchange across Europe
• Long-term sustainability planning for the innovation ecosystem

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland
• Application language: English

Notes

• Projects must build on or complement existing EU initiatives (e.g., Horizon Europe Cluster 2 projects, EIT Culture & Creativity KIC, Pact for Skills).
• Proposals should outline a sustainable economic model but do not require full detail.
• Lump-sum funding model applies; eligible costs are predefined.