On July 15, representatives from the EU’s “Creative Europe” program in Ukraine held an event as part of the Film Industry Office at the 15th Odesa International Film Festival. The event was attended by Taras Shevchenko, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine for European Integration.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister shared his thoughts on the opportunities for grant support for the audiovisual sector from the EU’s “Creative Europe” program. He also discussed the outcomes of the EU program committee meeting, which took place recently in Brussels.
“The European Union, within the framework of Creative Europe, has six horizontal priorities, and one of them remains Ukraine. This means that even foreign companies applying for these grants will benefit from finding a Ukrainian partner and planning a partnership with a Ukrainian organization. Additionally, during the Committee meeting, it was announced that 5 million euros would be allocated for three lots. These are intended to support artists who have been relocated and temporarily displaced within Ukraine, as well as to prepare the institutional capacity of the cultural sector for post-war recovery processes,” said Taras Shevchenko in his speech.
Over the course of four days, the Film Industry Office will host a series of roundtables, meetings, and discussions featuring leading Ukrainian and international film professionals, as well as a presentation of projects in the Work in Progress stage. All Film Industry Office events will take place in the White Hall at the House of Cinema.
It is worth noting that the European Union’s “Creative Europe” program is aimed at supporting cultural diversity and promoting the competitiveness of the culture and creative sectors. It was established in accordance with EU Regulation No. 2021/818 of the European Parliament. The program provides funding for projects and initiatives that aim to strengthen cultural diversity and address the needs and challenges of Europe’s cultural and creative sectors.
Ukraine joined the program as an associated country in 2016. In 2021, a new seven-year program began, which will run until 2027. Its budget amounts to 2.44 billion euros.
