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Horizon Europe
1 phase
Strategic Analysis
This call seeks to establish innovative and equitable global partnerships in cultural policies and Creative and Cultural Industries (CCSI), leveraging Europe's standing to foster cross-cultural collaboration and sustainable development. Proposals must clearly select one of two focus areas: either strengthening CCI innovation or promoting international cultural relations for mutual understanding and societal resilience. A winning proposal will demonstrate tangible pilot projects with strong, balanced international consortiums, particularly involving partners from Africa, the Far East, South-East Asia, and Latin America.
TRL 2 → 6
Based on programme defaults
Explore how international partnerships can strengthen cultural policies and creative industries innovation, promote cross-cultural collaboration, and support sustainable development and global relations.
Examine innovative approaches that benefit partners worldwide while enhancing Europe's global standing through cultural cooperation.
(Focus 1) Establish pilot projects to demonstrate the potential of cross-regional cooperation in creative industries, addressing specific regional challenges and opportunities.
(Focus 1) Leverage the EU Global Gateway strategy to foster resilient, inclusive, and innovative global partnerships.
(Focus 2) Establish pilot projects to test innovative forms of international cultural relations, such as initiatives fostering intercultural dialogue among communities experiencing tension or affected by conflict; collaborative artistic projects promoting mutual understanding and countering nationalism, xenophobia or conflict; cultural partnerships that avoid asymmetric power dynamics; or joint activities demonstrating how culture can strengthen societal resilience through inclusion, diversity, openness and how arts, design and cultural practices contribute to social cohesion.
(Focus 2) Target Africa, the Far East, South-East Asia, Latin America as regions of particular interest for this focus area.
Clearly indicate the selected focus (Focus 1 or Focus 2).
Establish mechanisms for ongoing collaboration that leverage each region's cultural assets and industry innovations to address global and local challenges.
Explore ways to address unequal access to global markets and imbalances in partnerships within the creative economy, with attention to gender and other intersectional aspects shaping opportunities and participation.
Encourage participation of research organisations, policy think-tanks, creative industries representatives, artist organisations/artists, tech communities, and cultural organisations from Europe and partner world regions.
Involve CCSI representatives from the outset to ensure their central role.
Focus on a specific area for in-depth analysis to develop a strong knowledge base and highlight strategic directions and routes to improvement (not necessarily cover all CCSI).
Explore synergies with other EU programmes supporting international cultural and creative partnerships, including the European Spaces of Culture, and seek complementarities with projects funded under HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-07.
Encourage international cooperation to achieve the topic’s expected outcomes.
Deepened understanding and comprehensive evaluation of cultural policy models, creative industry ecosystems, and strategies for promoting creative industries across world regions, identifying good practices, success stories and replicable models. Innovative practices, policy approaches, shared challenges, and opportunities for cross-regional collaboration and global development of creative industries are identified.
International equal partnerships and collaborations are established to exchange cultural policy approaches, boost creative industries, and/or support collaborative production or co-creation, facilitating knowledge transfer and capacity building among participating actors.
Actionable strategies are available to policymakers, businesses, and stakeholders, for cross-regional collaborations that strengthen cultural ties, leverage creative industries, culture, and the arts as central to Global Europe, and support global culture- and creativity-driven innovation and resilience.
The full potential of cultural heritage, arts and cultural and creative industries and sectors as drivers of both sustainable innovation and a European sense of belonging is realised through a continuous engagement with society, citizens and economic sectors.
Council conclusions of 21 May 2014 on cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe (2014/C 183/08)
highThese Council conclusions highlight cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe, recognizing its multi-faceted value – cultural, social, economic, and environmental. They emphasize its role in fostering European identity, promoting social cohesion, stimulating economic growth, and contributing to environmental sustainability. The conclusions call for integrated approaches to heritage management and policy-making.
Proposals should demonstrate how they leverage cultural heritage as a strategic resource for sustainable development, innovation, and societal well-being. Evaluators will look for projects that show an integrated approach to heritage, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and contributing to European values and identity within global partnerships.
CETS 199 - Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society
highAlso known as the Faro Convention, this framework convention emphasizes the broader value of cultural heritage for society, focusing on human rights, democracy, and sustainable development. It promotes a people-centred approach, recognizing the right to cultural heritage and encouraging public participation in its identification, interpretation, protection, and presentation.
Proposals should demonstrate alignment with the principles of the Faro Convention, particularly regarding the social value of cultural heritage, community engagement, and the right to cultural heritage. Evaluators will look for inclusive and participatory approaches that empower communities and recognize the diverse meanings and uses of heritage.
Culture Compass for Europe
highThe Culture Compass for Europe is a strategic framework developed by the European Commission to guide EU action in the cultural sector. It aims to foster a more coherent and impactful approach to culture, addressing key challenges and opportunities. It typically outlines priorities such as promoting cultural diversity, strengthening the cultural and creative sectors, fostering cultural participation, and leveraging culture for external relations.
Proposals should demonstrate how they align with the strategic directions and priorities outlined in the Culture Compass, particularly regarding the role of culture in societal development, innovation, and European identity. Evaluators will look for projects that contribute to the overarching goals of strengthening the cultural and creative sectors, enhancing cultural participation, and promoting European values through culture.
EU Global Gateway strategy
highThe EU Global Gateway strategy is Europe's offer to build sustainable and trusted connections with partner countries worldwide, focusing on infrastructure, digital, climate and energy, transport, health, education, and research. It aims to mobilize investments in a values-based and transparent manner, promoting democratic values, good governance, and high standards. The strategy seeks to boost smart, clean, and secure links.
Proposals should clearly articulate how they contribute to the objectives of the EU Global Gateway strategy, particularly in fostering sustainable and trusted global partnerships in cultural policies and CCI innovation. Evaluators will look for projects that align with the strategy's values-based approach, promote high standards, and contribute to building resilient connections with partner countries.
UNESCO 2030 Culture Indicators
highThe UNESCO 2030 Culture Indicators (Culture|2030 Indicators) is a framework designed to measure and monitor the contribution of culture to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local and national levels. It provides a set of thematic indicators across various dimensions, including environment and resilience, prosperity and livelihoods, knowledge and skills, inclusion and participation, and governance and peace, demonstrating culture's cross-cutting impact.
Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of how culture contributes to sustainable development and, where applicable, how their project's impact can be measured or aligned with the UNESCO 2030 Culture Indicators. Evaluators will look for projects that articulate how their activities in cultural policies and CCI innovation contribute to specific SDGs through cultural dimensions, potentially using or informing these indicators.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
highThe UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a 'blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.' Adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, they address global challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.
Proposals should clearly articulate which specific SDGs their project contributes to and how. This involves demonstrating a tangible impact on sustainable development, whether through environmental, social, or economic dimensions, and aligning with the EU's commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Evaluators will prioritize a clear and explicit selection of either Focus 1 (Creative Industries innovation) or Focus 2 (International Cultural Relations for peace/understanding) as per @SC7. They will look for evidence of truly equal and innovative international partnerships, ensuring mutual benefit and avoiding asymmetric power dynamics, with significant involvement of partners from the specified world regions (@SC2, @SC9, @SC10, @SC14). Concrete pilot projects demonstrating impact on regional challenges or fostering intercultural dialogue are crucial (@SC3, @SC5). Strong involvement of CCSI representatives from the outset (@SC11), a robust methodology for knowledge transfer and capacity building (@EO2), and actionable strategies for policymakers (@EO3) are also key. Alignment with the EU Global Gateway strategy (@SC4) and attention to gender and intersectional aspects (@SC9) will be highly valued.
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