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Bye bye MEDIA, Hello Creative Europe

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- What can we expect from European policies and from the "Creative Europe" new program?

Bye bye MEDIA, Hello Creative Europe

This year, Cineuropa is associated with the Forum d'Avignon for a white card on "creation, Europe's engine ?". Through unique discussions the Forum d’Avignon aims at strengthening the links between culture and the economy, suggesting subjects for reflection at global, European and local levels.

What can we expect from European policies and from the "Creative Europe" new program?

In November 2011, the European Commission presented its new program "Creative Europe" which will replace, from 2014 and on, the current media and culture programs. After 7 years supporting media and culture sector, MEDIA,  MEDIA mundus and Culture arrive to their expire date.  The new program picks up the torch and fits in the Europe 2020 strategy, the EU strategy for growth and employment. Indeed, relying itself upon the previous programs' experience and success, that have supported cultural and audiovisual sectors for more than 20 years, this new initiative wants to boost cultural and creative sectors. With Creative Europe, these sectors will receive an increased EU support, as the Commission has promised. Let's note that Creative Europe is only a project so far. The program is being discussed by the Counsel (the 27 member States) and the European Parliament that will take the final decision about the budget for the 2014-2020 period. What's changing, then? 

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What Changes

BEFORE

AFTER

Structure

Three different programs

A unique program, subdivided in three different sectors.

Name

MEDIA, MEDIA mundus & Culture

Creative Europe

Cinema and audiovisual budget

€755 million

€900 million (proposition)

Cultural budget

€400 million

€500 million (proposition)

Total budget

+/- €1.18 billion

€1.8 billion (proposition)

Guarantee funds

None

€200 million

National Information Point

MEDIA Desks & Culture info point

The union of both.

Raising funds for artists and culture professionals is one of the most important aims of the new European cultural program. Divided in a Media level, a culture level and a cross-sectoral level, Creative Europe wants the European culture to extend over its own territory and beyond. The cross-sectoral level has been created in a precise aim: to offer the professionals of different nationalities the possibility of developing their skills working together. 

Raising funds for transnational cultural activities inside and abroad the EU aims to reinforce culture and creative sectors likewise, while protecting cultural and linguistic diversity. United, of course, but preserving diversity. Such is the European slogan. This will of overcoming challenges as the market fragmentation and as hurdles in access to financing, conveys the growing awareness of the last years concerning the importance of cultural and creative industries in a EU level.

Indeed, these industries –from architecture to design, passing through cinema and all kind of festivals –represent one of the Europe most dynamic sectors while being the hearth of cultural diversity. In order to bring this dynamism out, Creative Europe will be easy to access for culture and creation professionals mixing mechanisms that have been separated so far, in a unique mechanism open to all the creative and cultural industries.

Nevertheless, this program hasn't been welcomed without contesting. Among the criticisms and the fears, there's the main worry concerning the merger of the three programs in a unique structure. Indeed, gathering the three programs can jeopardize their independence from the visibility and priorities point of view as well as from a budgetary one. MEDIA, for instance, has managed to be recognized as a label by the European citizens. Joining it to the culture program would be seen as erasing its "brand" and making the public perception confuse. Moreover, making a jumble with the three programs without making any difference would make impossible an impartial share of funds. To sum up, it's a new program that needs to pursue the success of its predecessors. 

The Forum d’Avignon aims at strengthening the links between culture and the economy, suggesting subjects for reflection at global, European and local levels. The Forum d’Avignon was created after the ratification of the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity, and since its beginning, has been backed by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. Each year the Forum organizes, with its partners, international meetings which provide opportunities for unique discussions and exchanges between actors from the worlds of culture, the creative industries, the economy and the media. 

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