KEA European Affairs Wrap-Up: A Transformative Year in 2024 

As we step into 2025, KEA European Affairs looks back on a transformative 2024—a year of milestones, a leadership transition, and impactful achievements. Celebrating 25 years of advancing culture, creativity, and sport in society, KEA has consolidated its legacy as a leader in cultural and creative policy design while setting the stage for future innovation. 

Celebrating 25 Years of Impact and a new Era of Leadership  

2024 marked KEA’s 25th anniversary, a momentous occasion to reflect on its pioneering work shaping cultural policy and fostering the growth of the creative sectors across Europe and beyond. A pivotal moment came in July when Arthur Le Gall assumed the role of Managing Director. Arthur, a veteran of KEA for over 12 years, has been instrumental in driving policy innovation, strategic growth, and partnerships. His leadership signals a dynamic new chapter for KEA, reinforcing its position as a cornerstone in cultural and creative industries policymaking. As part of its anniversary celebrations, KEA launched “Before the Storm: Culture as an Agent of Transformation,” a publication by founder Philippe Kern. The book explores the transformative power of culture in addressing global challenges and shaping societal development. 

Strategic Partnerships and Team Expansion: 

In 2024, KEA forged new partnerships across Europe, particularly in Italy, enhancing its reach and influence in cultural policy and creative sector development. A significant highlight was KEA’s official induction into the EIT Culture & Creativity Community as a cooperation partner. Through this dynamic consortium, KEA is contributing to the mission of building a sustainable innovation ecosystem within the cultural and creative industries. We also welcomed new talents to our team, enhancing our capacity to deliver excellence in a rapidly evolving global landscape.  

Milestone projects and keeping up the good work 

Throughout the year, KEA engaged in several significant projects. Notably, it launched two evaluations and a study commissioned by the European Commission. These included evaluations of the Creative Europe Programme and the European Capitals of Culture, conducted in collaboration with Ecorys, as well as a study led by Panteia on the discoverability of diverse European cultural content in the digital environment, led by Panteia. It conducted the third evaluation of the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) for UNESCO and sailed together with its consortium partners in the Explora Festival, the first boat museum and traveling festival in the Mediterranean Sea.  

While embarking on exciting new ventures, KEA has continued its work on ongoing projects and initiatives. It remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting Ukraine’s recovery through culture, notably by facilitating and moderating Erste Foundation’s Policy Labs, which highlight culture’s vital role in resilience and rebuilding efforts. KEA’s Horizon Europe projects, ARCHE and EPIC-WE have made significant progress as they enter their final stages. These initiatives are paving the way for sustainability strategies and further opportunities for exploitation, while also laying the groundwork for new collaborations.  

Looking ahead, KEA is gearing up to tackle fresh challenges and innovations in areas such as art markets, animation, human-centered digital transitions, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Stay tuned as KEA partners with leading organizations to shape the next wave of projects! 

Radical Creativities gained significant momentum in 2024, marked by the release of its inaugural issue in December and the launch of a new call for proposals, open until March 2025. This dynamic project delves into innovative artistic expressions and cultural practices, exemplifying KEA’s dedication to fostering creativity and pushing the boundaries of cultural dialogue.   

Meanwhile, B.creative continues to thrive, embarking on a new Creative Europe project – more info is coming soon. This initiative further cements the network’s role as a vital catalyst for the empowerment of creative entrepreneurs through creative collaboration, fostering connections across the cultural and creative industries to drive innovation and impact.   

In tandem with these initiatives, KEA sustained its role as a thought leader in cultural policy by delivering insightful analyses through its monthly digests. These digests explored pressing topics such as the role of culture in sustainable development, the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative sectors, and the appointment of EU’s new commissioner for culture. These contributions reflect KEA’s commitment to advancing informed and forward-looking cultural policies.    

Here’s to an inspiring 2025 and beyond!