KEA unveils the interactive guide on EU funding opportunities for the Audiovisual and News Media sectors created for the European Commission DG CONNECT

As part of the Media and Audiovisual Action Plan released by the European Commission in December 2020, several initiatives are put forward to help the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. The first initiative of this plan was recently released by DG CONNECT, with an interactive application developed by KEA to support the audiovisual and news media operators in identifying the right funding opportunities.

The challenging and changing times we live in have brought not only difficulties, but have also created opportunities for the Cultural and Creative Sectors. While the latter remain gravely affected by the social distancing and lockdown measures still in place across our continent, the European Union has rolled out at the beginning of this year a major recovery plan branded Next Generation EU (earmarked at €750 billion) to address the damage created by the pandemic and to start building a more resilient, sustainable and healthier society, better prepared to face future global threats. At the same time, 2021 has brought about the implementation of the long-term EU budget for the next 7 years (worth €1074.3 billion on top of the recovery plan’s budget) through various funds and programmes, some of them well-known, some of them brand-new. The CCS are in the position to benefit from all these new and continued support mechanisms, not only as a COVID-19 hard-hit sector in need of reconstruction, but also as a strategic sector with a meaningful impact on the future development of our society and economy.

To give CCS stakeholders the opportunity to navigate and understand the numerous and various EU support measures and how they could be applied to their recovery and development needs, KEA has developed the first interactive online application which works as a comprehensive guide on the funding and support opportunities currently available for the sector. Released as a Beta version, the application was developed for the European Commission DG CONNECT and currently maps opportunities for the Audiovisual and News Media sectors from the multi-annual financial framework 2021-2027 and the Next Generation EU. At the moment the application is hosted on our website.

You can access it and discover its features here.

In a world governed by rapid technological transformation in which large amounts of digital information is readily available, individuals’ ability to process and understand this information is largely conditioned by the manner in which it is filtered and delivered to them. The digital application we developed reflects our commitment to create valuable knowledge for the CCS on how to orientate their demand for swift and relevant EU support according to most pressing needs. The user experience is therefore centred on the needs and activities of operators in the above-mentioned sectors, as the navigation gradually tailors a solution for the users, according to who they are and what they are looking for. Therefore, if you are an artist, creative entrepreneur, SME, start-up, or a larger company / association you are welcome. to navigate the application and find EU support you can benefit from according to your needs.

Disclaimer: We would like to remind that this application is a prototype which tests the utility and usability of such digital guidance tool. As there is still uncertainty around the legal basis and the annual work programmes for the different EU funding streams covered by the application, information on the best opportunities for the sectors is still limited. However, as the work programmes are currently being finalised, more information on concrete calls for applications will be available in the next iterations of the application, and for all the CCS sub-sectors.

For further queries on the project, please contact:

Arthur Le Gall