2024 Funding: Creative Europe – Several calls now open!

NunoMarques News

Creative Europe funding calls

Major differences from the previous year´s instrument are highlighted in red. Last year´s information that no longer applies is stricken through.

CREA-MEDIA-2024-DEVVGIM — Video games and immersive content development

  • What the funding can be used for? 
    • This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios. 
    • Aimed at european video game development and XR/AR studios to develop video games and interactive immersive experiences with the potential to reach global audiences, as well as improve the competitiveness, scalability, cooperation, innovation, and sustainability of the European video games industry and other companies producing interactive immersive content in European and international markets by enabling the retention of intellectual property by European developers.
    • Support will be given to the pre-production of works and prototypes of interactive narrative storytelling with original content and/or quality gameplay intended for production and global commercial exploitation via PCs, consoles, mobile devices, tablets, smart phones and other technologies.
    • Strategies should ensure a more sustainable and environmentally-respectful industry(5/100 points in award criteria), gender balance, inclusion, diversity, and representativeness (5/100 points in award criteria), either in the project/content or in the way of managing the activity.
    • The applicant company must own the majority of the rights (or adaptation rights) related to the project.
    • The following projects are ineligible (both as previous work and as work submitted for funding): puzzle games, memory games, sports games, racing games, running games,rhythm/singing/dancing games, social games, quiz games, party games,versus-fighting games, word and spelling games, number games, mind games, even if they have a narrative element. Check full list in section 2 of this document
  • Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
    • Applicants must be:
      • legal entities (public or private bodies)
      • established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and be in EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs)) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (Non-EU Participating countries)
      • entities established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
      • A Company whose main objective and activity is video game production/development, (entertainment) software development or audiovisual production (or equivalent) and can demonstrate recent experience in producing internationally commercially distributed eligible works. I.e, able to provide a relevant sales report showing sales in the period between 01/01/2021 and the date of the deadline for submission
      • Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries; affiliated entities are allowed if needed), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
      • Publishing companies are not eligible.
      • Work-for-hire, i.e. projects for which the development or production work was subcontracted to the applicant/coordinator by another company, is not eligible, nor are projects on which a member of the applicant/coordinating company has a personal credit. Early Access works are not eligible either because they are not completed works yet and are still being developed.
  • How much funding will be available: 
    • Total call budget is estimated at EUR 6.000.000 EUR 7.000.000 
    • The grant will be a lump sum grant. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 60%
    • The maximum EU grant per project is EUR 150.000 EUR 200.000.
    • Pre-financing rate is normally 70% of the maximum grant amount
    • Projects should not normally exceed 36 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
  • When?
    • Call opening: 3 October 2023
    • Deadline for submission: 24 January 2024 – 17:00:00 CET (Brussels)
  • For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/crea-media-2024-devvgim?keywords=video%20games 

CREA-MEDIA-2024-INNOVBUSMOD — Innovative tools and business models

  • What the funding can be used for? 
    • This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios, publishers, trade associations. 
    • Support for promotion and marketing tools, including online and through data analytics, to increase the prominence, visibility, cross-border access, and audience reach of European work.
    • Development/spread of innovative tools and business models to improve visibility, availability, audience, and diversity of European works in the digital age and/or the competitiveness and/or the greening process of the European audiovisual industry.
    • Subtitling or accessibility/discoverability/recommendation tools for improving visibility, availability, and audience potential of European audiovisual works.
    • Business tools for improving the efficiency and transparency of the audiovisual markets.
    • Business models optimizing synergies between distribution platforms.
    • Business tools exploring new modes of production, financing, distribution, or promotion enabled by new technology.
  • Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
    • Applicants must be:
      • legal entities (public or private bodies)
      • established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and be in EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs)) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (Non-EU Participating countries)
      • entities established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
  • How much funding will be available: 
    • Total call budget is estimated at EUR 6.000.000 EUR 8,500,000
    • The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 70%
    • The maximum EU grant per project is unlimited
    • Pre-financing rate is normally 40% of the maximum grant amount
    • Projects should not normally exceed 24 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
  • When?
    • Call opening: 3 October 2023
    • Deadline for submission:  25 January 2024 – 17:00:00 CET (Brussels)
  • For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/crea-media-2024-innovbusmod?keywords=CREA-MEDIA-2024&matchWords=false 

CREA-MEDIA-2024-MARKETNET — Markets and Networking

  • What the funding can be used for? 
    • This instrument might be particularly interesting for game developer studios, publishers, trade associations, event organizers. 
    • Industry events, physical, digital or hybrid, focused on business-to-business exchanges among European audiovisual professionals, facilitating coproductions and sales and showing a structuring effect on the European audiovisual eco-system as well as impact on the promotion and sales of European audiovisual works on global markets. Activities and events should adapt to current market trends and include innovative content (videogames, VR, XR, AI, cross-media), animation or genre audiovisual works. 
    • Networks of markets, organised around a thematic basis or geographically, should increase their impact on the audiovisual industry. They can therefore cover e.g. several film markets of a specific region or e.g. several markets focussing on specific types of works (i.e. kids content, documentaries, animation, videogames, AR, VR) or both.
    • Networking activities contributing to the promotion of European works and consolidation of the audiovisual eco-system across the whole value chain. 
    • These networks can propose activities related to different existing markets within and outside the countries participating in the MEDIA strand. Such activities will include:
      • B2B promotional activities, including financial support to third parties, aimed at facilitating the distribution of European audiovisual works or exchange of best practices, with a particular focus on innovative technologies and business practices
      • activities related to the co-creation of series, leading to marketable and competitive European series
    • Activities related to the following type of works are not considered as eligible: live broadcasting, music videos, non-narrative artistic works (including but not limited to art videos, experimental videos etc), commercial and promotional works (including but not limited to advertisements), reality TV and talk shows.
    • Applications should present activities to be implemented over 2 years.
  • Who can apply? (cumulative conditions):
    • Applicants must be:
      • legal entities (public or private bodies)
      • established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and be in EU Member States(including overseas countries and territories(OCTs)) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (Non-EU Participating countries)
      • entities established and owned by people in one of the countries participating FULLY in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.
      • Applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries; affiliated entities are allowed if needed), as well as proposals submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
  • How much funding will be available: 
    • Total call budget is estimated at EUR 13.000.000 16,500,000
    • The grant will be budget-based. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 70%
    • The maximum EU grant per project is unlimited
    • Pre-financing rate is normally 50% of the maximum grant amount
    • costs for financial support to third parties: allowed for grants; maximum amount per third party EUR 60 000
    • indirect cost flat-rate: 7% of the eligible direct costs
    • Projects should not normally exceed 24 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).
  • When?
    • Call opening: 3 October 2023
    • Deadline for submission:  18 January 2024 – 17:00:00 CET (Brussels)
  • For more information please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/crea-media-2024-marketnet 

CREA-CULT-2024-COOP — European Cooperation projects (Medium & Smal scale)

  • For who: European CCI organizations
  • Doing What: 
    • Projects involving organisations in the cultural and creative sectors of all sizes, including micro-organisations and small-sized organisations, and from different countries to undertake sectoral or cross-sectoral activities.
    • Proposals are expected to present a clear cross-border cooperation dimension
    • Projects involving exclusively organisations from the audio-visual sector and projects of an exclusive audiovisual content are not targeted for funding
    • The funding call supports projects contributing to one of two main objectives:
      • Transnational Creation and Circulation: Strengthen the transnational creation and circulation of European works and artists.
      • Innovation: Enhance the capacity of European cultural and creative sectors to nurture talents, innovate, prosper, generate jobs, and growth.

      Projects must also address at least one (and no more than two) of the following priorities:

      • Increase access, engagement, and participation in culture, especially content from other countries.
      • Promote societal resilience, culture’s role in health and well-being, and enhance social inclusion in/through culture.
      • Co-create and adopt environment-friendly practices, and raise awareness on sustainable development.
      • Assist the cultural and creative sectors in digital transition and address challenges raised by emerging technologies.
      • Build capacity for cross-border activities and contribute to international cultural relations.
      • Support to Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors, focusing on sustaining Ukrainian culture during and post-war.
  • European: 
    • your company is based in a country fully participating in Creative Europe media strand
    • your company is owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority participation, by nationals from countries participating fully in the MEDIA strand. When a company is publicly listed, the location of the stock exchange will in principle determine its nationality.

Medium-scale projects:

  • The consortium must be composed of minimum 5 entities from 5 different eligible countries.
  • Maximum grant amount: €1M
  • Funding rate: maximum 70%


Small-scale projects:

  • The consortium must be composed of minimum 3 entities from 3 different eligible countries.
  • Maximum grant amount: €200k per project.
  • Funding rate: maximum 80%
  • When?
    • Deadline for submission: 23rd of January 2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)

Horizon Europe funding for Europe’s cultural heritage and arts – promoting our values at home and abroad

  • For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in R&I and policy for the games industry
  • Doing What: 
    • Increase Visibility and Access: Enhance the international presence of European arts and culture, thereby strengthening the contemporary image of the EU.
    • Develop Pilot Solutions: Create and test innovative models for cooperation that integrate local, national, and European efforts, and involve strategic alliances across various sectors.
    • Assess Effectiveness: Evaluate current practices, programs, and policies in promoting European values and identities outside Europe.
    • Strengthen CCIs: Bolster the worldwide presence of European CCIs, focusing on sustainable and inclusive growth.
    • Identify and Overcome Barriers: Analyze existing barriers to effective promotion of European arts and culture and propose solutions.
    • Policy Recommendations: Develop recommendations for integrating innovative models into arts policies at various levels
  • Funding:
    • Total call budget: €13M
    • Maximum grant: €300-400k
    • Maximum funding rate: 70% 
    • Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
  • When? 
    • DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
    • The results: TBD
    • Projects start: TBD
  • For more information: 

Horizon Europe funding – Leverage the digital transition for competitive European cultural and creative industries

  • For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in developing measures for supporting the games industry
  • Doing What: 
    • Developing effective, cost-efficient strategies to help CCIs use digital technologies to enhance competitiveness and sustainability.
    • Target specific CCI sectors or cross-sectoral issues for significant impact, incorporating digital technologies like big data, AI, VR, AR, and XR.
    • Create measures effective across various Member States and suitable for CCIs of all sizes, possibly through collaborative platforms and networks.
    • Conduct at least 4 small-scale pilot trials under real conditions to refine these measures, involving at least 4 different Member States/Associated Countries, diverse stakeholders and ensuring applicability in different national contexts and company sizes.
    • Building upon EU-funded knowledge, networks, and platforms, including projects under the “European Cloud for Cultural Heritage” call.
  • Funding:
    • Total call budget: €13M
    • Maximum grant: €300-400k
    • Maximum funding rate: 70% 

Horizon Europe funding – Cultural and creative industries for a sustainable climate transition

  • For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in R&I and policy for the games industry
  • Doing What: 
    • Developing refined and validated approaches for CCIs to be significant drivers of a sustainable climate transition.
    • Business models, use of new technologies, production methods and development or adaption of new technological solutions, as well as addressing gaps in skills and capacities.
    • Proposals should provide for testing and refining such model(s) through small scale pilot trials under real world conditions. Should be valid across different Member States/Associated Countries, and address the needs of small, micro as well as larger companies.
    • Making substantial contributions to help European CCIs adapt to and contribute to the climate transition, aligning with the 2030 goals of the European Green Deal.
    • Particularly targeted towards projects that can build upon the findings of the ‘Cultural and creative industries for a sustainable climate transition’  2023 calls.
  • Funding:
    • Total call budget: €13M
    • Maximum grant: €300-400k
    • Maximum funding rate: 70% 
    • Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
  • When? 
    • DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
  • For more information: 

Horizon Europe – Culture, the arts and cultural spaces for democratic participation and political expression, online and offline

  • For who: Horizon Europe participant research institutions, local/regional/ national clusters, or other parties involved in R&I and policy for the games industry, particularly metaverses
  • Doing What: 
    • Developing recommendations to foster civic participation through a deep analysis of the use of spaces beyond classic democratic institutions. This includes cultural and artistic spaces, as well as cyberspace and metaverses, for political expression.
    • Creating forward-looking policy recommendations to ensure that digital spaces (including metaverses and social networks) can positively impact democratic life and limit potential threats to democracy.
    • Experimenting with solutions, methods, and tools to support democratic behavior and social well-being for the next generation of social media.
  • Funding:
    • Total call budget: €9M
    • Maximum grant: €200-300k
    • Maximum funding rate: 100% 
    • Length of the projects: Max 36 months (extensions possible)
  • When? 
    • DL 7.2.2024 17:00 CET (NOT AT MIDNIGHT)
  • For more information: