At least 56% of Creative Europe funds will be allocated to the MEDIA sub-programme which means that there will continue to be funding for film training, development, distribution, sales agents, promotion (markets and festivals) and cinema networks. In other words more than 250,000 artists and cultural professions, at least 2,000 European cinemas (showing at least 50% European films) will be supported and 800 European films will receive distribution aid to reach audiences worldwide. “This is great news for the cultural and creative sectors. This is great news for the European film industry, for European culture and for the millions of people, like us, who cherish both,” commented Androulla Vassiliou, Member of the European Commission, responsible for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.
In addition, a maximum of 13% of Creative Europe’s overall budget will be allocated to the ‘cross-sectorial strand’ split into two parts: on one hand the Financial Guarantee Facility that will-from 2016 onwards-enable small cultural and creative businesses to access up to €750 million in bank loans and will be managed by the European Investment Fund, and on the other hand information and data collection initiatives and agencies such as the former MEDIA desks now called Creative Culture Desks.
Around €60 million has also been earmarked for policy cooperation and for fostering innovative approaches to audience building and new business models. In fact, audience development (through film literacy or new distribution models with simultaneous release across different platforms) is one area that will be the focus of Creative Europe in 2014. Another area that will be addressed next year is support to international co-production funds in order to strengthen co-production between Europe and the rest of the world.
Creative Europe will enter into force in January 2014.
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