The we are more campaign guide
for the negotiations on the
Structural Funds 2014-2020
This guide has been produced by Culture Action Europe within the framework of the Europe-wide
arts advocacy campaign we are more – act for culture in Europe. The aim of the guide is to help
campaign supporters to engage in the regional and national negotiations on the so-called Structural
Funds for the period 2014-2020. The Structural Funds are part of the European Union’s (EU)
Regional Development Policy and the guide explains how this policy works and how you can
advocate for a better inclusion of culture within this policy and its funds. The guide includes key
arguments and facts that you can use when targeting policy-makers in your region, as well as a
comprehensive glossary of relevant EU terms.
we are more – act for culture in Europe is a Europe-wide arts advocacy campaign set up by
Culture Action Europe in strategic partnership with the European Cultural Foundation.
campaign@wearemore.eu
www.wearemore.eu
The we are more campaign guide for the negotiations on the Structural Funds 2014-2020 by Culture Action Europe is licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Table of contents
SECTION A: LEARN WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE
WITH THE HELP OF THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS
1. EXAMPLES OF CULTURE-BASED INITIATIVES FUNDED BY THE STRUCTURAL
FUNDS
EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND
EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL FUND FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
3
4
4
6
8
SECTION B: THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS: WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
1. WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
2. HOW DOES IT WORK?
2.1. IN SCHEMES
2.2. IN WORDS
3. GLOSSARY
4. CATEGORIES OF REGIONS
9
10
11
11
14
17
21
SECTION C: IT ALSO DEPENDS ON YOU ! HOW TO “PITCH” AND PROMOTE
THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
22
1. BUILD YOUR OWN TAILOR-MADE ARGUMENTATION
23
1.1. KEY MESSAGES
24
1.2. FACTS AND FIGURES
25
2. READING & STUDIES
28
3. THE PITCH
30
4. NEGOTIATION TIMELINE
31
SECTION D: ADVANCED PACKAGE
1. OPPORTUNITIES
EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND
EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL COOPERATION (ERDF)
RURAL DEVELOPMENT (EAFRD)
CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE EUROPEAN MARITIME AND FISHERIES FUND (EMFF)
EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
2. ARGUMENTS
32
33
33
35
38
41
42
42
44
BASIC CAMPAIGN FACTS
50
2
Section A: Learn what can be done in the field of
culture with the help of the Structural Funds
The EU Regional Development policy of which the Structural Funds are a part, is the second biggest
envelope in the overall EU budget and the biggest EU source of funding for culture. The policy is
implemented through 5 funds called the Structural Funds 1. This section provides you with some
examples of cultural-based initiatives that have been financed in the framework of the current and
past Structural Funds. We hope that these examples will inspire you and encourage you to consider
Structural Funds as a relevant source of funding for your future projects.
Table of Contents:
1. Examples of Culture-based initiatives funded by the Structural Funds
Ex1:
ERDF
Funding for the Audiovisual and Film Industry of Lower Saxony
Germany)
Ex2: ERDF
Funding for Culture and Cultural Heritage (Poland)
Ex3: ERDF
Musikpark Mannheim (Germany)
Ex4: ERDF
TRANSDIGITAL
Ex5: ERDF
SOSTENUTO-Thinking culture as a factor for economic and social
innovation
Ex6: ERDF
Porta culturae
Ex7: ERDF
State Unified Library System / Plurio
Ex8: ESF
Creative Estonia
Ex9: ESF
Funding: WORKpop – Creating job opportunities for cultural workers
Ex10: ESF
Professional qualification for intercultural education
Ex11: ESF
Creative Ghetto
Ex12: EAFRD Support for capital expenditures for the arts and cultural societies from
Leader Majjistral Action Group
Ex13: EAFRD Revitalising Traditional Craft Culture
Ex14: EAFRD National Wool Museum
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), European Agricultural Fund
for Rural Development (EARDF), Cohesion Fund (CF) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
1
3
1. Examples of Culture-based initiatives funded by the
Structural Funds
EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
Example 1:
Description:
Funding Program:
More Information: (in
German only)
Example 2:
Description:
Funding Program:
More Information:
Example 3:
Description:
Funding Program:
ERDF Funding for the Audiovisual and Film Industry of
Lower Saxony (Germany)
Support comprises projects in the field of High
Definition (HD), digitization, computer games,
animation as well as film (including festivals and
infrastructural measures). Eligible institutions comprise
SMEs, associations as well as film and audiovisual
organizations.
Operational Program Lower Saxony (ERDF)
Priority 3: Specific infrastructures for sustainable
growth
http://nordmedia.de/content/foerderung/
foerderung_bei_nordmedia/efrefoerderung/index.html
ERDF Funding for Culture and Cultural Heritage
(Poland)
The main objective of the priority is exploiting the
potential of culture and cultural heritage that is of
significance to Europe and the whole world, in order to
increase Poland’s attractiveness. The specific aims of
this large investment programme are: 1.Protecting and
maintaining cultural heritage of over-regional
importance; 2.Developing and improving the state of
cultural infrastructure of over-regional importance; 3.
The infrastructure of artistic schooling.
Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment
(ERDF), Priority 11 Culture and cultural heritage –
ERDF
http://www.poiis.mkidn.gov.pl/front/page/get/77/
(including list of funded projects)
ERDF Musikpark Mannheim (Germany)
Investment in heritage is often seen as a means of
transforming the image of an area but investment in
contemporary arts can also achieve this, and make other
contributions to economic and social development.
Musikpark Mannheim is a successful business
incubator which focuses on music and dance and
supports the development of a range of related creative
businesses. It serves as a beacon for the district of
Jungbusch in Mannheim, where it has played a part in
the redevelopment of the whole area, directly creating
60 enterprises and 240 jobs, with a turnover of about
€20m.
ERDF Objective 2: Developing economic infrastructure
4
Budget
More Information:
Example 4:
Description:
Funding Program:
Budget
More Information:
Example 5:
Description:
Funding Program:
Budget
More Information: (in
French and English)
Promoting small and medium-sized enterprises
Restructuring inner-city problem areas
€65m Project duration 2004 – 2009
www.musikpark-mannnheim.de
ERDF - TRANSDIGITAL
TRANSDIGITAL provides a platform for the arts, the
academic world and the technology industry to join
forces to promote research, knowledge exchange and
the dissemination of technological development in the
INTERREG area of Flanders, Wallonia and Northern
France. The aim is to increase the economic
competitiveness of the region by creating dynamic
clusters based on technological advances
ERDF – INTERREG IVA Territorial cooperation
To encourage research and innovation in a network of
research centres in the Lille Tourcoing / Ghent / MonsMaubeuge area, increase the visibility of the area as a
creative and technological pole and develop structural
partnerships between research and technological
companies and creative and artistic projects.
€ 2,243,345 (51% from ERDF)
http://sites.google.com/site/transdigitalweb/homepage
SOSTENUTO – Thinking culture as a factor for
economic and social innovation (ERDF)
A network of partners from France, Spain, Italy,
Slovenia and Montenegro addressed in a three year
project the capacities of the cultural sector for economic
and social innovation in the Med space. It included
performing arts, visual arts, crafts, architecture and
design with the aim to encourage decision-makers,
country-planners and financers to take into account the
economic potential as well as the capacities of
innovation of culture. Four practices have been tested
including incubators, clusters, local exchange trading
system and territorial governance.
PROGRAMME OPERATIONNEL MED
2007-2013 (Operational Programme MED 2007-2013),
INTERREG IVB MED, Axe prioritaire 1 (Priority Axis
1):
Renforcement
des
capacités
d’innovation
(Strenghtening the innovation capacities)
€1,668,175 through the EU (€1,536,411 from ERDF,
€131,764 from ISPA); the rest from public funding
http://www.amicentre.biz/IMG/pdf/
dossierdepresentationSostenutoFR_EN.pdf
5
Example 6:
Description:
Funding Program:
More Information: (in
German and Czech)
Example 7:
Description:
Funding Program:
More Information:
Porta culturae (ERDF)
A cross-border partnership from regional cultural
networks, cultural administrations and museums from
Lower Austria and southern regions of the Czech
Republic contributes to cross-border cultural
cooperation and intercultural understanding in culture
and arts. The activities comprise services like the
support for establishing contacts across borders as well
as translations. Furthermore a whole set of events will
be implemented like symposia in the field of visual arts
or guided tours to galleries and local artists.
OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME
Objective European Territorial Co-operation AustriaCzech Republic 2007-2013;
http://service.kulturvernetzung.at/
modules.php?name=downloads&id=350
http://www.vysocina-kultura.cz/o-nas/
State Unified Library System / Plurio
The State Unified Library Information System (August
2005 – May 2007) created a common library catalogue
and wider public access to the internet across Latvia
and improved networks and computing skills and
competences. The project involved 871 libraries across
the country and made a significant contribution to
bridging the digital divide between the capital and
outlying regions of Latvia.
The Plurio project (September 2009 – September 2011)
operates in the Greater Region of Lorraine,
Luxembourg, Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate and
Wallonia. This project also aims to make digital
resources available across a wide territorial area, with a
particular focus on using a tri-lingual web portal to
facilitate interaction between the cultural community
(both individuals and networks) and the creative sector
more generally and providing a quality source of data
for the media, publications and other users of digital
material.
Objective European Territorial Co-operation LatviaLuxembourg
Promotion of territorial cohesion / Territorial cooperation
Dissemination of digital resources
http://www.kis.gov.lv
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND
Example 8:
Description:
Creative Estonia (European Social Fund)
Creative Estonia is a program targeted to the promotion
and development of the creative industries and creative
businesses in Estonia. It has been established in 2009
and supports inter alia the beginning and establishing
6
Funding Program:
More Information:
Example 9:
Description:
Funding Program:
More Information: (in
Finnish only)
Example 10:
Description:
Funding Program:
Budget
More Information:
Example 11:
Description:
Funding Program:
Budget
of creative businesses, encourages and increases
cooperation between creative individuals and the
industrial as well as the service sector. It comprises also
dissemination and image building activities.
Operational Programme for Human Resource
Development – Republic of Estonia
http://www.looveesti.ee/creative-estonia.html
ESF Funding: WORKpop – Creating job opportunities
for cultural workers
The cultural umbrella organization “Pispalan
Kumppanuus” set up a project to help unemployed
artists and creative workers to adapt their skills to the
labour market. Half of the 20 project participants are
now in work – the rest went on to study or to launch
their own enterprises.
ESF operational programme for Mainland Finland for
2007–2013
http://www.pispala.fi/kumppanuus/
ESF Professional qualification for intercultural
education
The education and training system in Bulgaria has
serious problems in integrating members of minority
ethnic groups. This case highlights the use of ESF funds
to increase school participation of Roma children and
the number of Roma graduates (currently 0.2% of all
graduates). The project provided intercultural training
for university lecturers, ministerial education experts
and school directors and teachers. The ultimate aim is
to promote the inclusion of the Roma population into
the labour market and society in general.
ESF – Cohesion Fund
Development of human capital potential to ensure
higher employment, income and social integration for
vulnerable groups (Roma)
€ 89,566 (85% from ESF – Social Inclusion, Jobs,
Education and Training 15% from Bulgarian
government)
http://web.swu.bg
ESF Creative Ghetto
Creative Ghetto was a seven month long education
programme aimed at giving young adults (20 – 35) with
an immigrant background an opportunity to impress
experienced workers in creative businesses by using
their ideas and hard work. In turn, creative businesses
got a chance to meet an underused creative resource –
the ‘new Danes’ (people with immigrant background).
ESF – Objective 3
To help young adults from an immigrant background
develop skills and employment opportunities in the
creative arts to promote social integration
€114,890 (45% from EU, 55% from national co-funding)
7
More Information:
http://www.contemporarycopenhagen.dk
EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL FUND FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Example 12:
Description:
Example 13:
Description:
Funding Program:
More Information:
Example 14:
Description:
Funding Program:
Budget
More Information
Support for capital expenditures for the arts and
cultural societies from Leader Majjistral Action Group
(EAFRD)
The Leader Majjistral Action Group (MAGF) in Malta
launched a call in December 2011 for capital
investments undertaken by arts and cultural
organizations with the aim of enhancing the capacity
regarding the delivery of cultural and artistic practice.
Beneficiaries will be granted up to 80% of financial
assistance. A special focus is given to integrated projects
involving the youth.
Revitalising Traditional Craft Culture
Using local traditions and culture as the basis for
marketing craft industries at a regional or sub-regional
level.
EAFFG – LEADER Community Initiative
Enhancing natural and cultural heritage
Improving the quality of life
Making the best use of natural and cultural resources
http://www.meisterstrasse.at
EAFRD National Wool Museum
The case of the National Wool Museum illustrates the
use of Structural Funds in the development of a
museum based on the agricultural and industrial
heritage of a Welsh region. The project has led to the
creation of a museum on a wool mill site, which has
never been out of use, thus ensuring continuing activity
in a rural area and creating a living educational tool on
the history of the region.
EAGGF/EAFRD
Infrastructure project to safeguard industrial and
agricultural heritage
€1.17
million
(£1.7
million),
20.5%
from
EAGGF/EAFRD; 79.5% from British and Welsh public
funds and private funds.
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk
8
Section B: the Structural Funds: what is it all
about?
Now that you have a better idea of the type of projects that can be financed through the structural
funds, you are most likely eager to learn a bit more and to engage in advocacy actions in order to
ensure that culture will still be included in the next generation of EU’s Cohesion Policy. In order to
advocate for the inclusion of culture in the Cohesion Policy 2014-2020, the first step is to
understand its goals and functions. This section aims at explaining how the Cohesion Policy and its
different funds work, and which levels of governance are involved in the negotiations and
implementation.
Table of Contents:
1. What is it all about?
2. How does it work?
3.
4.
2.1 In schemes
2.2 In words
Glossary
Categories of Regions
9
1. What is it all about?
The EU Regional Development Policy 2014-2020 is a policy instrument established to
reinforce economic, social and territorial cohesion among the EU Member States. Based on the EU
principle of solidarity, it has been designed as a tool to help regions that are lagging behind by
reducing the economic, social and territorial disparities.
The Regional Development Policy funds support initiatives aimed at job creation, competitiveness,
economic growth, improved quality of life and sustainable development. Such initiatives include:
modernizing infrastructure, improving transport and internet links to remote regions, supporting
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in disadvantaged areas, investing in a cleaner
environment and improving education and skills. The EU Regional Development Policy is
implemented through five funds: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European
Social Fund (ESF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Among these five funds, the ERDF
and ESF – jointly called structural funds - are particularly relevant for culture-based activities.
The EU Regional Development Policy is the second largest part of the overall EU budget. The total
amount of the funding available for the current period 2007-2013 is 347bn euros, representing 37%
of the total EU budget. Of this, the planned expenditure for culture is estimated to be 1.7% of the
budget (over 6 million euros). This makes the EU Regional Development Policy the biggest
source of EU funding for culture. Furthermore, this amount is likely to be significantly higher
if all projects that use culture to address other objectives are also taken into account.
It has been acknowledged that the obstacles to wider use of structural funds for culture are the lack
of awareness of local, regional and national authorities of the ways in which culture contributes to
local and regional development and failures of communication and advocacy within the arts and
culture sector itself.
The current negotiations around the EU budget 2014-2020 present an excellent opportunity to
make better use of the EU Regional Development Policy instruments for culture-based initiatives.
Cultural operators have to engage in informed advocacy activities NOW to ensure the full potential
of the contribution of culture to the EU Regional Development Policy 2014-2020. This toolkit
should help you to do this!
10
2. How does it work?
2. 1. IN SCHEMES
European Regional Development Policy
1. Common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social
Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund – general rules applying to all funds outlining all thematic
objectives.
2. Fund specific regulations – one document per fund with specific objectives for each fund.
3. Common Strategic Framework for the European Regional Development Fund, the
European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund – document describing possible actions under a
thematic objective in a given fund.
4. Partnership Contracts: document prepared by each Member State on the basis of Common
Strategic Framework, Fund specific regulations and Common Provisions in order to implement EU
Regional Policy at the national level.
5. Operational Programmes: documents included in Partnership Contracts in order to
implement EU Regional Policy Funds at regional or national level. They can be elaborated per
region or per thematic.
11
Negotiations and decision-making process
1. European level
Common Provisions: Find the MEPs relevant for your country here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/regi/members.html
Fund-specific regulations: Find the MEPs from your country responsible for ESF here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/empl/members.html
and for ERDF here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/regi/members.html
12
2. Multiple levels
Partnership Contracts: Find the European Commission civil servant responsible for your country here:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/regional_policy/document/organigramme_en.pdf
Operational Programmes: Find your managing authority here:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/manage/authority/authority_en.cfm
13
2.2 IN WORDS
European policy for
regional development
The EU Regional Development Policy is implemented through five
funds: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European
Social Fund (ESF), Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Agricultural
Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and
Fisheries Fund.
Two of these funds – jointly referred to as the Structural Funds are particularly relevant for culture-based initiatives: the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social
Fund (ESF).
European Regional
Development Fund
(ERDF)
The ERDF supports actions related to climate and energy as well as
research and development, supporting enterprises (employment,
R&D and innovation) and investing in infrastructures (transport,
energy, environment, social and health). The fund covers all 12
thematic objectives (listed below).
For arts and culture it can support e.g. cultural, heritage and
tourism infrastructures, cultural and creative SMEs, research and
innovation in cultural and creative industries etc. A small part of
the ERDF funding supports the European Territorial Co-operation,
which can include co-operation in the cultural field.
In the current proposal for the ERDF regulation there is one
reference to culture in terms of cultural heritage under the
objective (6) Protecting the environment and promoting the
sustainable use of resources.
European Social Fund
(ESF)
The ESF supports actions related to creating employment,
improving education and poverty alleviation. It covers thematic
objectives 8-11 (listed below). Under these objectives, it could
support initiatives from the arts and culture field such as e.g.
upgrading skills of arts teachers, developing new programmes in
arts universities, developing schemes for access to culture,
supporting non-profit cultural organisations etc. Importantly, it
can also support the capacity building for cultural administrations
to better implement the Structural Funds.
In the current proposal for the ESF there is no reference to culture.
Thematic Objectives
The proposal for EU regional policy 2014-2020 has several layers
of objectives. The overall objectives include two goals, namely
“investment in growth and jobs” as well as “European Territorial
Cooperation”.
These two objectives are to be achieved through 11 thematic
objectives:
(1) Strengthening research, technological development and
innovation;
(2) Enhancing accessibility to and use and quality of information
and communication technologies;
(3) Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized
enterprises (SME);
(4) Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all
14
sectors;
(5) Promoting climate change adaptation and risk prevention;
(6) Protecting the environment and promoting the sustainable use
of resources;
(7) Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in
key network infrastructures;
(8) Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility;
(9) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty;
(10) Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning;
(11) Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public
administration.
The document called Common Provisions for all Funds sets out
these objectives. This document does not refer to culture. The
thematic objectives are further detailed for each fund in fund
specific regulations and in the Common Strategic Framework.
Common Strategic
Framework
The ‘Common Strategic Framework’ is a guiding document for the
Member States that further details the policy actions to be
supported under each thematic objective per Fund. It also provides
the basis on which the Members States will be developing their
‘Partnership Contracts’.
References to culture in this document would facilitate the Member
States the integration of culture in the series of documents that
implement the Funds at the national and regional level.
Partnership Contracts
The ‘Partnership Contracts’ are documents prepared by the
Member States in collaboration with the EC and on the basis of the
Common Strategic Framework. These documents outline how the
EU funds will be spent at the national level are will be strongly
aligned with both the national documents for the implementation
of the EU2020 strategy - National Reform Programmes - and
with national development strategies that exist independently
of the EU Structural Funds. In this context, it is important to
know what is the position of culture in these two
documents in your country.
The reference to culture in any of the two documents would pave
the way for a Member State to mention it in their Partnership
Contract. Partnership Contracts are prepared by different
configurations of Ministries or Agencies in different Member
States. It is key to find out which entity is leading the work
on the preparations of the Partnership Contracts and who
from the Ministry of Culture is engaged in these
preparations. The lobbying joint actions with the Ministry of
Culture towards the leading entity working on Partnership
Contracts have proved efficient.
Operational
Programmes
In order to implement the funds, the regional authorities
prepare their operational programmes, defining their regional
priorities to deliver on the EU regional policy objectives. These
regional operational programmes further detail the national
priorities and adapt them to regional context. When preparing
their regional operational programmes, regional authorities will
refer to already existing regional development strategies.
15
The position of culture in the development strategy of your region
will influence the position of culture in the operational programme
of your region. Therefore, it is also important to engage in the
lobbying actions towards ensuring a long-term vision for culture in
the development strategy of your region. Contract your regional
authority in order to find out who is engaged in the regional
programme preparations.
16
3. Glossary
Categories of
regions
The funding distributed through the EU regional policy depends
on the category of the region. There are three types of regions:
• Less developed regions – GDP per capita under 75% of the EU27 average;
• Transition regions – GDP per capita between 75-90% of the EU27 average;
• More developed regions - GDP per capita over 90% of the EU-27
average
In addition, different categories of regions will have different
priorities. The more developed regions and transition regions will
privilege investments in thematic objectives linked to innovation,
support to SMEs, energy efficiency and renewable energies, while
less developed regions will invest equally in these priorities and in
employment, education and poverty reduction. In order to see in
which category of regions you are situated see Annex IV.
Europe 2020
strategy








The Europe 2020 Strategy (2010-2020) for smart, sustainable
and inclusive growth is the main EU strategy for economic
development. It replaces the Lisbon Strategy (2000-2010). The
three priorities are:
Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and
innovation.
Sustainable growth: promoting a more efficient, greener and
more competitive economy.
Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy
delivering social and territorial cohesion.
The strategy lays out five targets to be achieved by the European
Union by 2020:
A 75% employment rate for the 20-64 age group;
A 3% investment rate in Research and Development;
20/20/20 climate and energy targets2
An improvement of education levels3
A promotion of social inclusion including a reduction of poverty.
The strategy is implemented through 9 flagship initiatives:
The 9 EU flagship initiatives proposed by the Commission are the
following:
1) ‘Innovative Union’
2) ‘Youth on the Move’
3) ‘A Digital Agenda for Europe’
4) a ‘Low-carbon, resource efficient Europe’
5) ‘Clean and efficient energy’
6) ‘An industrial policy for the globalization era’
7) ‘A New Jobs Agenda’
The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20%, a share of final energy consumption coming from
renewable energy sources increased to 20%, and an energy sufficiency of 20%;
3 A reduction of school drop-out rates, and an increased share of the population having completed tertiary or
equivalent education;
2
17
8) ‘New skills for New Jobs’
9) a ‘European Platform against poverty’
As the EU2020 is an overarching strategy for the EU all new
policies and programmes, including the EU regional development
policy, are aligned to deliver its objectives. When advocating for
the support of culture from the EU regional policy funds, at the
national and regional level, it will be important to link the
arguments to the achievement of the Europe 2020 strategy.
National Reform
programmes
The National Reform Programmes are political documents setting
out a three-year strategy to implement the EU 2020 strategy at
the national level, by fostering necessary structural reforms. The
Partnership Contracts prepared by the Member States to
implement EU Regional Development Policy should be aligned
with the National Reform Programmes.
Permanent
Representation of
Member States to
the EU
Permanent Representation is a diplomatic representation of a
Member State to the EU. Usually, in each Permanent
Representation there is a person in charge of cultural affairs as
well as a person responsible for the EU Regional Development
Policy which both participate in the works on the relevant
Committees in the Council.
Representations
of the Regions in
Brussels
Many regions have an office in Brussels in order to monitor what
happens on the European stage, inform their colleagues at home
and lobby for their regional interests towards the EU institutions.
These representations are engaged in the negotiations on the EU
Regional Development Policy
Committee of
the Regions
(CoR)
The Committee of the Regions is a EU body gathering all the
regions of the EU. It has no legislative power. The CoR
participates in compulsory consultations following a request of
the EC, the EP or the Council or gives opinions at its own
initiative. The CoR carries out this work through six thematic
commissions. The Commission on Education, Youth and
Research deals with culture.
The relevant Commission for the EU Regional Development
Policy is the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy (COTER)
who drafts a report and an opinion on the EC proposals for the
future EU Regional Development Policy.
European
Parliament
(EP)
DG EAC
The EP is composed of thematic committees that prepare reports,
opinions and then amendments to the EC legislative proposals.
These amendments can sometimes change significantly the
content of a proposal.
The Regional Development Committee (REGI) will draft a report
on the European Regional Development Fund whereas the
Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL) will draft a
report on the European Social Fund.
DG EAC is the acronym for the Directorate-General of the
European Commission dealing with Culture, Youth, Education
and Sport policies. DG EAC is, amongst other things, in charge of
drafting the legislative proposal for the Creative Europe
programme. Within the DG, there are people responsible for
18
issues related to culture in structural funds in this DG who cooperate with DG REGIO and DG EMPL.
DG REGIO
DG REGIO is the acronym for the Directorate General of the
European Commission dealing with regional policies. DG REGIO
is, amongst other things, in charge of drafting the majority of the
legislative proposals for the EU Regional Development Policy,
including the European Regional Development Fund.
The thematic co-ordination department has persons in charge of
culture and creative sectors. DG REGIO regional co-ordination is
organized around desks per countries. These desks are contact
persons for Member States when developing Partnership
Contracts and pperational programmes.
DG EMPL
DG EMPL is the acronym for the Directorate General for
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. DG EMPL is, amongst
others, in charge of drafting the legislative proposal for the
European Social Fund.
Managing
Authorities of
the Structural
Funds
The management of programmes, which receive support from the
Structural Funds (ERDF and ESF), is the responsibility of the
Member States. For each programme, they designate a managing
authority (at national, regional or another level), which will
inform potential beneficiaries, select the projects and generally
monitor the implementation process.
For the budgetary period 2014-2020, the managing authorities
will be involved in drafting the operational programmes defining
their priority axis for the implementation of the EU Regional
Development Policy. While drafting these documents, the
authorities will be able to select a number of themes and types of
actions to be funded. It is very important to advocate at this
level to include culture in the operational programmes
of the Structural Funds.
Intermediate
body of
Operational
Programme
An intermediate body of the operational programme is any body
which acts under the responsibility of a managing authority and
which carries out, on their behalf, duties related to the
management of the operational programme.
Social Innovation
The EC defines Social Innovation as follows: “Social innovation is
about new ideas that work to address pressing unmet needs. We
simply describe it as innovations that are both social in their ends
and in their means. Social innovations are new ideas (products,
services and models) that simultaneously meet social needs
(more effectively that alternatives) and create new social
relationships or collaborations”. Social Innovation is a part of the
Innovation Union flagship initiative of the Europe 2020 strategy.
In the Structural Funds, the Member States are invited to choose
their themes for social innovation i.e. the challenges they want to
tackle and possible solutions to them.
Culture can enter this picture in multiple ways for example by
synergies between culture and education (e.g. education through
theatre) or between culture and social inclusion (e.g. social
inclusion through music).
19
Open Innovation
In the EC proposals for the EU Regional Development Policy
2014-2020, the concept of innovation has been broadened
beyond technological innovation to all parts of the value chain
(e.g.: design, marketing). Open innovation allows for innovation
both from the internal (e.g. R&D departments) and external
sources (e.g. patents, licensing).
Innovation understood in these terms in the EU Regional
Development Policy funds provides points of entry for cultural
and creative industries (e.g. product design).
Smart
specialisation
The EU defines ‘smart specialisation’ as ‘a policy rationale and
concept for innovation policy to promote efficient, effective and
synergetic use of public investments and supports countries and
regions in strengthening their innovation capacity, while focusing
scarce human and financial resources in a few globally
competitive areas in order to boost economic growth and
prosperity. It concentrates resources on the most promising areas
of comparative advantage and aims to harness regional diversity
by avoiding uniformity and duplication. It combines goal-setting
with a dynamic and entrepreneurial discovery process involving
key stakeholders from government, business, academia and other
knowledge-creating institutions’.
Potentially, cultural and creative sectors can be part of this broad
framework. For examples see the Guide on Regional Innovation
Strategies for Smart Specialisation (page 10).
S3 platform
In order to assist regions and Member States to develop,
implement and review regional smart specialisation strategies,
the European Commission has set up a “smart specialisation
platform” (S3 platform) where regions can exchange their views
and good practices, and receive support especially when
identifying the high-value added activities which offer the best
chances to strengthen their competitiveness.
The platform produced a guide on how to develop smart
specialisation strategies which covers the role that cultural and
creative sector could play in such strategies e.g.: product and
service development, new business models for SMEs, ICT
applications, clusters, networks and social innovation.
20
4. Categories of Regions
21
Section C: It also depends on you! How to “pitch”
and promote the role of culture in European
Regional Development
As you understand, there are different levels of decision- and policy-making. If the general
framework is designed by the EU institutions, the specific priority-fields and types of actions are
defined according to the national and regional needs. Therefore, in order to see culture supported
by the future structural funds, it is key that you engage in the negotiations in your regions and
countries! This section will provide you with arguments and facts and figures to back them up. It is
organized so that you can pick up the relevant message for your activities and build your arguments
accordingly. This section of the guide also includes a generic “pitch” for how to promote the role of
culture in European Regional Development.
Table of Contents:
1. Build your own tailor-made argumentation
1.1 Key Messages
1.2 Facts and figures
2. Reading and Studies
3. The Pitch
4. Timelines
22
1. Build your own tailor-made argumentation
When engaging in the negotiations it is important to understand the thematic objectives of the EU
Regional Development Policy and remember that it is not a policy designed to support culture per
se. Therefore, in formulating their arguments, cultural operators must position culture as
contributing to the delivery of the thematic objectives under the priority selected in a given region
or country.
STEP 1: DETERMINE RELEVANT TARGETS AT THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL
LEVEL
The EU Regional Development Policy funds, its geographical categories and objectives provide a
general framework for cultural operators to help position themselves in the negotiations. In order
to engage in the negotiations it is crucial to understand how this general framework is transposed
into national, regional and local context and who is responsible for what. To determine the
advocacy and lobbying targets at the different stages of negotiations see section 3. Glossary of this
guide.
STEP 2: BUILD YOUR ARGUMENT
1. Determine the way culture contributes to the development in your region
Identify the type(s) of culture-based initiatives that you have been running in your organisation or
types of initiatives that could be relevant. Supporting them through the structural funds would
allow you to deliver them on a larger scale (e.g. upgrading arts education infrastructure, providing
entrepreneurial training to artists, establishing networks of craftsmen, running cultural activities
for excluded people, renovating heritage sites etc.)
2. Choose the relevant priority to be integrated in the operational programme
Demonstrate under which priority and which thematic objective this culture-based initiative could
be supported; also explain under which fund it should be supported and show that you understand
the objectives of the EU Regional Development Policy (e.g. if you think that an investment in the
renovation of an old industrial site could be a great venue for festivals then link it to the relevant
priority on investing in infrastructure). For examples of potential culture-based activities see the
Advanced Package in section 4 of this guide.
3. Demonstrate what can be achieved through culture in your region
Explain the potential economic benefits (increased economic growth, decreased unemployment)
and social effects (better skilled workforce, improved social cohesion, developed sense of identity)
of investing in this culture-based initiative for your region and back it up, if possible, by concrete
examples of similar initiatives in other regions and/or countries. For examples of already existing
projects see section 1 of this guide.
4. Make a link to the EU2020 Strategy
The structural funds and their national and regional priorities will be aligned with the EU2020
strategy objectives, flagship initiatives and headline targets. Therefore, when making the argument
about culture’s contribution to local and regional development, stress how the relevant initiative
will support the delivery of smart and inclusive growth through the EU2020 strategy objectives,
flagship initiatives and headline targets. For examples of arguments linked to the Europe 2020
strategy see the Advanced Package in section 4 of this guide.
23
1.1. KEY MESSAGES
Here are the three key messages you will need to get across when you advocate for support for
culture from the EU regional development policy funds.
1. Culture contributes to the social, economic and territorial cohesion of our cities
and regions
Culture is a pillar of sustainable regional and local development
Culture can play an important role for social, economic and territorial cohesion between the EU
regions when provided with appropriate tools and support. Culture determines our perception of
development and how people act in the world. The cultural dimension should complement the
economic, social and environmental dimensions of development in order to ensure that values such
as creativity, knowledge and diversity are nourished in our human development and contribute to
societal wellbeing.
The specific ways in which culture can contribute to the development should be assessed on
regional and local basis and the particular needs addressed through integrated approaches to
culture in local and regional development strategies, developed with the involvement of the cultural
civil society.
2. Culture-based initiatives have a multiple role to play in local and regional
development
Culture-based initiatives contribute to local and regional development in both economic and
social terms
Investing in cultural heritage, cultural infrastructure and tourism are the most common ways
through which culture is seen as a factor of local and regional development. Culture has also
traditionally played a role in raising the attractiveness of territories and in integrated sustainable
urban regeneration. The support to such activities should be continued but the concept of the
contribution of culture to regional and local development should be broadened.
Culture also has an important role to play in generating more and better employment, in education,
skills development and training. It is also a factor that has proven beneficial for social inclusion.
Both the economic and social contribution of culture to local and regional development should be
supported through the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund.
3. Culture contributes to the achievement of the EU2020 strategy objectives on smart,
sustainable and inclusive growth at the local and regional level
Investing in culture through EU structural funds help achieve the EU2020 strategy objectives
The EU2020 strategy refers to creativity and cultural diversity as key assets for the future EU
development. Culture develops new skills and creates new jobs, improves education systems and
attainment levels, stimulates innovation, enhances digitalisation in terms of access and
participation, encourages youth employment and helps combat social exclusion. A strong
investment in culture through the EU Regional Development Policy can contribute greatly to the
achievement of the EU2020 strategy objectives at the local, regional and national level.
24
1.2. FACTS AND FIGURES
Negotiations for the integration of culture-based initiatives in the EU Regional Development Policy
are time consuming and depend on the specific national/regional and local context. The following
list of arguments provides you with some of the most common statements in order to start
discussion with the relevant regional management authorities
Only 1,7% of the total EU Regional Development Policy budget
goes to culture.
 The estimated support to culture through the current EU
structural funds represents 0.7% of the total EU budget.
 The other source of financing for culture at European level, the
Culture Programme, represents even less: 0,05% of the total EU
budget.
 Between 2007 and 2013, the planned EU expenditure for culture
under the EU Regional Development Policy amounts to more
than EUR 6 billion representing 1.7% of the total budget. EUR 3
billion is allocated for the protection and preservation of
cultural heritage (ERDF), EUR 2.2 billion for the development
of cultural infrastructure (ERDF), and EUR 775 million to
support cultural services (ERDF & ESF).
Culture Action
Europe’s own
calculations based
on data provided by
EACEA:
http://eacea.ec.euro
pa.eu/culture/index
_en.php
DG REGIO website:
http://ec.europa.eu/
regional_policy/acti
vity/culture/index_
en.cfm
Statistics for EU
Regional
Development Policy
2007-2013: Culture.
http://ec.europa.eu/
regional_policy/acti
vity/statistics/2007
_culture.pdf
Culture is a catalyst for growth and jobs in your region.
 The cultural and creative sectors account for 4,5% of EU GDP,
i.e. more than the EU food industry or the EU chemical
industry, and generate a turnover of more than 654 billion
euros (in 2003). This is much more than what is generated by
the car manufacturing industry (271 billion euros in 2001) or by
the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
manufacturers (541 billion euros in 2003).
The economy of
culture in Europe.
KEA, 2006:
http://ec.europa.eu/
culture/keydocuments/doc873_
en.htm
 Between 2000 and 2007, employment in the cultural and
creative industries grew by an average of 3.5% per annum,
compared to 1% in the overall EU-27 economy. The cultural and
creative industries (CCIs) export growth is of 3,4%. This
tendency is not new: on the 1999-2003 period, the growth of the
cultural and creative industries was 12.3% higher than the
European
Competitiveness
Report 2010.
http://bookshop.eur
opa.eu/en/european
-competitiveness-
25
growth of the general economy.
report-2010pbNBAK10001/
 Almost five million people work in the cultural sector (2005), or
3,8% of the active population in the 27 Member States (6,7
million if we include people working in cultural tourism). The
annual employment growth is of 3,5%.
 Culture provides content for innovation in ICT and leads to new
forms of innovation. To back up this argument, see example 1
and 4 of ERDF in section 1.
 Culture contributes to youth employment.
To back up this argument, see example 3 of ERDF and example
1 of Rural development in section 1.
Culture contributes to the social, economic and territorial
cohesion in your region.
Recent studies show that:
 Culture contributes to social inclusion and improves social
cohesion.
To back up this argument, see examples 3 and 4 of ESF in
section 1.
 Participation in cultural activities develops creativity and
innovation skills as well as the skills to adapt to change.
To back up this argument, see example 1 of ETC in section 1.
 The cultural and creative sector is an incubator of new forms of
entrepreneurship.
To back up this argument, see example 3 of ERDF and example
1 of ESF in section 1.
 The majority of cultural and creative industry consists of selfemployed people or small firms. Investment in cultural and
creative SMEs (including the self-employed) supports the
fastest growing industries in Europe and contributes
considerably to regional/local competitiveness.
To back up this argument, see example 3 of ERDF in section 1.
Study on the
contribution of
culture to local and
regional
development –
Evidence from the
Structural Funds.
CSES-ERICARTS,
2010:
http://ec.europa.eu/
culture/keydocuments/doc/stu
dies/final_report_S
F_en.pdf
European
Competitiveness
Report 2010.
http://bookshop.eur
opa.eu/en/european
-competitivenessreport-2010pbNBAK10001/
 Culture contributes to the development of digital literacy skills
and digital know-how.
To back up this argument, see example 1 and 4 of ERDF and
example 3 of ETC in section 1.
 Culture contributes to sustainable urban development.
To back up this argument, see example 3 of ERDF and 4 of ESF
in section 1.
Culture is central element of the attractiveness of regions and to
tourism.
26

Protecting cultural heritage is not only essential for a successful
European tourism industry but it also supports adequate access
to regional and local history for educational purposes. It further
shapes the image of a region or a city and contributes to the
positive awareness of local people. Furthermore cultural
infrastructures serve as platforms for international contacts of
regions and cities.
To back up this argument, see example 2 of ERDF and 2 and 3
of Rural development in section 1.
Flash
Eurobarometer 281,
2009.
http://ec.europa.eu/
public_opinion/flas
h/fl_281_en.pdf
 Cultural attractiveness is the second motivation for Europeans
(after value for money) when deciding on a holiday destination.
 If European tourists have to reduce their spending during their
holidays they do it primarily for restaurants and shopping, but
rarely for cultural and entertainment activities.
27
2. Reading & Studies
STUDIES
Pocketbook on Cultural statistics
Eurostat, (2011)
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/culture/introduction
Eurostat’s pocketbook on ‘Cultural statistics’ published in April 2011 is the second in the
series. It presents data on enterprises in cultural sectors, employment in cultural sectors
and occupations, external trade in cultural goods, cultural participation, private
household expenditure on cultural goods and other statistics. It uses data collected in the
framework of the European Statistical System, as well as other sources such as UNESCO,
Eurobarometer, EGMUS and Media Salles.
Study on the contribution of culture to local and regional development – Evidence from
the Structural Funds
Centre for Strategy and evaluation Services (CSES) -ERICARTS, (2010)
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/key-documents/doc/studies/final_report_SF_en.pdf
The study was commissioned by the European Commission to provide evidence of the
range of contributions made by the cultural and creative sector to the objectives of EU
Regional Development Policy since 2000, and, backing this up, a pool of around 50
examples illustrating the contribution.
Annexes II A & B of the study on the contribution of culture to local and regional
development – Evidence from the Structural Funds
Centre for Strategy and evaluation Services (CSES) -ERICARTS, (2010)
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/documents/annex_ii_a.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/documents/annex_ii_b.pdf
The two annexes consist of around 50 case studies of culture-based initiatives funded
through structural funds.
The economic crisis and the prospects for art and culture in Europe
SICA, (2010)
http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/files/83/en/en_crisis_and_prospects_for_art_and
_culture_in_europe_oct2010.pdf
SICA has consulted its partners in a number of European countries in order to gauge the
mood in the cultural sector. The first overview was published in June 2010 and updated
in October 2010.
GUIDE ON REGIONAL INNOVATION STRATEGIES FOR SMART SPECIALISATION
Smart specialisations Platform, (2012)
28
http://ipts.jrc.ec.europa.eu/activities/research-andinnovation/documents/guide/draft_12_12_2011.pdf
In order to assist regions and Member States to develop, implement and review regional
smart specialisation strategies, the European Commission has set up a “smart
specialisation platform” (S3 platform) where regions can exchange their views and good
practices. The platform published this guide that includes a chapter on the role of cultural
and creative industries in smart specialisations strategies.
Culture: Fourth Pillar of Sustainable Development
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), (2010)
http://onsustainability.com/files/2008/11/zz_Culture4pillarSD_eng1.pdf
A UCLG Policy Statement on “Culture as the Fourth Pillar of Sustainable Development” prepared
by the ULCG committee on culture. A vision of sustainable development with three dimensions
was developed in the second half of the 1980s. This statement calls for the integration of the
cultural dimension in the sustainable development model, since culture ultimately shapes what we
mean by development and determines how people act in the world.
The economy of culture in Europe
KEA European Affairs, (2006)
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/key-documents/doc873_en.htm
The study was conducted for the European Commission. It highlights the direct (in terms
of GDP, growth and employment) as well as the indirect (links between creativity and
innovation, links with the ICT sector, regional development and attractiveness of
territories) contribution of the cultural and creative sectors towards Europe’s economic
growth.
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
EU Regional Development Policy 2014-2020: legislative proposals (published 6.11.2011)
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/what/future/proposals_2014_2020_en.cfm
Common Strategic Framework 2014-2020: staff working document (published
14.3.2012)
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/what/future/index_en.cfm
29
3. The Pitch
Here is an example of how to pitch for the importance of supporting culture-based initiatives within
the EU Regional Development Policy. It consists of four parts: Context, Analysis, Challenges,
Conclusion. The EU Regional Development Policy is negotiated between the European Parliament
(EP) and the Council, on the basis of a proposal by the Commission (EC). However, the policy is
implemented at national and regional levels. Therefore, your national and regional authorities are
important targets for this pitch.
Context: Today national governments and regional authorities are developing and negotiating the
documents for the implementation of the EU Regional Development Policy. 4 Within this context,
we have joined the we are more – act for culture in Europe campaign, which aims at
improving the recognition of culture within the future EU Regional Development Policy.
Analysis: We understand that the EU Regional Development Policy’s objectives are social,
economic and territorial cohesion, and that it is not a tool designed to directly support culture.
However, culture can and does greatly contribute to social, economic and territorial cohesion.
The contribution of culture to local and regional development is often seen in terms of investing in
tourism, cultural heritage and infrastructure. The role of culture has also been recognised in raising
the attractiveness of territories and in contributing to urban regeneration. This should continue in
the future. However, culture can also contribute to EU Regional Development Policy’s goals in
much broader terms.
Cultural initiatives have been proven to stimulate economic growth and contribute to the
knowledge-based economy by fostering innovation and supporting small-middle enterprises’
development. Culture develops creativity, which is key for innovation.
Not only has culture a key role to play in economic cohesion but also in supporting social cohesion.
Culture-based initiatives help to create more jobs and quality employment both directly within the
cultural sector and also through synergies between culture and education, learning, skills
development and training. Culture also plays an important role in social inclusion. This
multifaceted role of culture in regional development has to be properly accounted for in order to
reach the objectives of Europe 2020 strategy.
Challenges: The lack of awareness among national and regional authorities of the contribution of
culture to local and regional development has been identified as one of the major barriers to
cultural support within the EU Regional Development Policy. We would like to change this and are
happy to collaborate with you on developing a cultural strategy that would meet the economic,
social and territorial needs of your region/city and which could be implemented through the EU
Regional Development Policy funds.
Conclusion: Culture has an important role to play in local and regional development. Up to now
this role has not been fully exploited. The negotiations on the future EU Regional Development
Policy provide a key opportunity to harness culture’s potential. Culture can help achieve the EU
Regional Development Policy objectives 2014-2020. The various ways in which culture contributes
to these objectives need to be included in the documents that implement this policy if full social,
economic and territorial cohesion is to be achieved.
The ‘Partnership Contracts’ are documents prepared by the Member States in collaboration with the EC.
They outline how the EU funds will be spent at a national level and will be strongly aligned with both the
national documents for the implementation of the EU2020 strategy, the main EU strategy for economic
development, and with national development strategies. The ‘Operational Programmes’ are for the
implementation of these funds at a regional level.
4
30
4. Negotiation timeline
6 October 2011 – The EC published the common General Provisions for the European Social
Fund (ESF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund as well as
the Fund-specific provisions for each Fund.
October 2011 - December 2012 – The EU Regional Development Policy legislative package is
negotiated by the European Parliament (EP) (ERDF – Regional Development Committee, ESF –
Social Affairs Committee) and the Council (General Affairs Council, working group on structural
measures). The we are more campaign will be proposing amendments to the EP reports.
March 2012 – The EC publishes the Common Strategic Framework as a staff working document.
The Member States will be preparing their Partnership Contracts and operational programmes on
the basis of the Common Strategic Framework.
2012 - 2013 – Member States prepare their Partnership Contracts and the regional level
authorities prepare their operational programmes. These are negotiated with the European
Commission. The we are more campaign national co-ordination groups to organise advocacy
and lobbying actions towards the national and local level authorities responsible for the
structural funds.
December 2012 - Final agreement on the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020.
December 2012 - January 2013 – The EU Regional Development Policy proposals and the
Common Strategic Framework adopted in a joint decision by the European Parliament and the
Council. The date of the adoption of these documents depends on the date of final agreement on the
EU Budget 2014-2020 (so-called Multiannual Financial Framework - MFF). The MFF should be
adopted first in order for the other policy and programmes proposals to be adopted.
Both the Partnership Contracts and the regional operational programmes should be submitted to
the EC at the same time and jointly adopted by the Council and the EP towards the end of 2013 the
latest.
2014 – Entry into force of the new policies and programmes.
31
Section D: Advanced Package
If you are already familiar with the EU Regional Development Policy and would like to develop your
argumentation, you will find more elements to do so in this section. First, you will find potential
points of entry for culture in the proposal regulations for 2014-2020. Secondly, you will find more
detailed arguments for each “headlines” from the Facts and Figures section. Also, if you decide to
seriously engage in the negotiations and wish to have a real impact with your advocacy actions,
additional arguments will be needed. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to deepen your
knowledge by consulting the links to the documents referred to in this section.
Table of Contents:
1.Opportunities
2.Arguments
32
1. Opportunities
The following chapter provides a list of opportunities for culture-based initiatives that could be
funded under each of the thematic objectives within each objective for each fund. However,
operational systems of the funds and approaches to how these funds are used in Europe are
different in various Member States. Therefore, it is necessary to adapt cultural interventions to
national, regional and local frameworks.
In the EC proposal for regulations, culture has been mentioned in terms of protection, promotion
and development of cultural heritage under the objective (6) in the European Regional
Development Fund. The European Social Fund does not refer to culture. But out of the 11
thematic objectives for all funds, the following might be also used to support culture-based
interventions:
(1) Strengthening research, technological development and innovation
(2) Enhancing access to and use and quality of ICT
(3) Enhancing competitiveness of SMEs
(4) Supporting the shift to the low-carbon economy
(6) Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency
(8) Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
(9) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
(10) Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
(11) Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public administration
EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
Thematic Objective
Investment priorities
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
-
-
Thematic Objective
Investment priorities
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
(1) Strengthening research, technological development and
innovation
(b) Product and service development, demand stimulation,
clusters, open innovation through smart specialization and
social innovation
Product and service development in the creative industries
(e.g. innovative online dissemination tools for the music
industry)
Establishment and implementation of creative industries
related clusters and networks (e. g. network of national
film festivals)
Open innovation processes with the means of creative
methods (e. g. design thinking workshops from the
universities of the arts offered for “traditional” businesses)
Smart specialization with culture and creative industries
based on regional/local (statistical) evidence (e. g. strategic
regional programme for the development of the creative
industries based on quantitative and qualitative mapping)
Social innovation projects with the involvement of the
creative sector (e. g. development of innovative citizens
platforms for the establishment of a urban cultural
development plan)
(2) Enhancing access to and use and quality of ICT
(b) Developing ICT products and services
- Developing ICT products with cultural and creative content
(e.g. for the tourism industry such as apps for guided tours
33
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
to historic sites)
- Developing and improving ICT services for specific target
groups (e.g. rural population access to digital cinema)
(c) Strengthening ICT applications for e-government
- Modernization of eServices of cultural administrations and
ministries (e. g. electronic application systems for funding)
Thematic Objective
Investment priorities
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
(3) Enhancing competitiveness of SMEs
(a) Promoting entrepreneurship
- Developing education schemes to promote entrepreneurship
at schools and universities targeted to creative, artistic and
cultural professions (e. g. seminars on entrepreneurship,
management classes)
- Building-up networks and communities for new creative
entrepreneurs (e. g. start-up platform for young regional
architects)
- Establishment of financial support systems for creative
industries start-up companies (e. g. seed funding scheme
for young entrepreneurs from different creative industries
branches)
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
(4) Supporting the shift to the low-carbon economy
(c) Supporting energy efficiency in public infrastructures
- Investment program for cultural infrastructures to improve
their energy efficiency (e. g. Renovation of public cultural
buildings in cooperation with solar architects and ecodesigners)
(e) Promoting low-carbon strategies for urban areas
- Urban development with the means of solar architecture (e.
g. urban solar architecture plan for a specific quarter of the
city)
- Promotion of creative low-carbon strategies with the local
population (e.g. community building for urban gardening
in cooperation with landscape planners)
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
-
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
6) Protecting the environment and promoting resource
efficiency
(c) Protecting, promoting and developing cultural heritage
(Creative)
renovation
of
cultural
buildings
and
infrastructures
(e.
g.
contemporary
architecture
interventions in historic buildings)
Culture tourism projects (e. g. systematic promotion of
regional cultural events)
Culture education projects (e. g. creative education
programmes at cultural site to teach children)
New means of reuse of historic buildings by the way of social
innovation (e. g. establishment of open creative spaces for
the neighbourhood)
(8) Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
(a) Development of business incubators and business
creation
- Creative Industries business incubators (e. g. transforming
unused urban space in co-working spaces with related
training programme for young creative entrepreneurs)
- Support and coaching programs for business creations in the
field of the cultural and creative industries (e. g. start-up
34
support programmes for the creative industry)
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
9) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
(b) support for physical and economic regeneration of
deprived urban and rural communities
- Measures and innovative projects to allow the cultural
participation of people living in deprived urban and rural
communities (e. g. innovative architectural adaption of
public spaces for creative practice of young people)
10) investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning by
developing education and training infrastructure
- Investments in artistic, culture or creative industries related
education and training infrastructures (e. g. renovation
and/or upgrading of buildings dedicated to training of
creative people)
11) Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public
administration
Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public
administration by strengthening of institutional capacity
and the efficiency of public administrations and public
services related to implementation of the ERDF, and in
support of actions in institutional capacity and in the
efficiency of public administration supported by the ESF.
- Technical assistance measures for cultural administrations
involved in ERDF programs (e. g. training, studies related
to culture, arts and creative industries in regional/national
ERDF programmes)
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives of all
CSF Funds:
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
8) Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
1. (a) (iii) Self-employment, entrepreneurship and business
creation
Further education and training for unemployed wishing to
become new entrepreneurs in culture, the arts and the
creative economy (e. g. training in management,
accounting etc.)
1. (a) (v) Adaptation of workers, enterprises and
entrepreneurs to change
Intercultural and language learning to improve
employability of workers in cultural profession (e. g.
Language training courses for employees in cultural
tourism companies to provide a better service for new
tourism segments)
1. (a) (vi) Active and healthy ageing
Development of innovative programmes for elderly in
order to enhance their creativity and by this means their
employability (e. g. music programmes in companies to
ease stress of elderly workers)
9) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
1. (c) (i) Active inclusion
Furthering of inclusion by the means of arts, culture and
35
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
creativity (e. g. intercultural programme for young people
from deprived urban neighbourhoods combined with
training activities)
1. (c) (ii) Integration of marginalized communities such as
the Roma
Initiatives allowing access to the culture of marginalized
communities including the Roma (e. g. cultural programme
in youth centres to better integrate the marginalized
communities)
1. (c) (iii) Combating discrimination based on sex, racial or
ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual
orientation
Awareness raising campaigns in companies (e. g. theatre in
companies offered from the performing art sector to
combat discrimination)
1. (c) (iv) Enhancing access to affordable, sustainable and
high-quality services, including health care and social
services of general interest
Programmes to allow access to art and culture for those
concerned of exclusion and poverty (e. g. low-cost and
high-quality cultural education programmes )
1. (c) (v) Promoting the social economy and social
enterprises
Support social economy initiatives in the field of culture (e.
g. developing of a local cultural strategy for the creation of
social benefit in the field of inclusion)
1. (c) (vi) Community-led local development strategies
Local development strategies involving culture (e. g. local
programmes targeted to inclusion with the means of art
and creativity)
10) investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
1. (b) (i) Reducing early school-leaving and promoting
equal access to good-quality early-childhood, primary and
secondary education
Furthering of creativity in schools and other education
institutions in order to reduce early school leaving
(e. g. development of new creative methods in order to
enhance motivation of learners)
1. (b) (iii) Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading
skills and competences of the workforce and increasing the
labour market relevance of education and training systems
Further development of education systems targeted to the
creative
industries
(e.
g.
management
and
internationalization training for designers)
11) Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public
administration
1. (d) (i) Investments in institutional capacity and in the
efficiency of public administrations and public services
with a view to reforms, better regulation and good
governance
(only for Member States eligible for Cohesion Fund or
which have at least one NUTS level 2 region as defined in
Article 82(2)(a) of Draft General Regulation)
National discussion process and training regarding the
reform of the education systems including the furthering of
creativity (e. g. a series of national conferences involving
36
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
several stakeholders from the education, cultural and
employment sector including Europe-wide benchmarking)
1. (d) (ii) Capacity building for stakeholders delivering
employment, education and social policies and sectoral and
territorial pacts to mobilise for reform at national, regional
and local level
Studies, conferences and exchange of experience regarding
the integration of creativity in education policies (e. g.
national conference on creative education and related
effects on employment)
Through the investment priorities listed above (3.1.1), the ESF shall also contribute to the other
thematic objectives listed in Article 9 of the Draft General Regulation:
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
(1) Strengthening research, technological development and
innovation
2. (c) Strengthening research, technological development
and innovation, through the development of post-graduate
studies, the training of researchers, networking activities
and partnerships between higher education institutions,
research and technological centres and enterprises
Development of creative platforms (e.g. establishment of
meeting places for universities of the arts and enterprises
in order to establish partnerships targeted to the better
employment or business perspectives of recently
graduates)
(2) Enhancing access to and use and quality of ICT
2. (b) Enhancing accessibility, use and quality of
information and communication technologies, through the
development of digital literacy, investment in e-inclusion
and related entrepreneurial skills
Cultural media centres activities regarding e-inclusion (e.
g. training programmes for those lacking of digital literacy
which are run by cultural centres in rural areas)
(3) Enhancing competitiveness of SMEs
2. (d) Enhancing the competitiveness of small and
medium-sized enterprises, through promoting the
adaptability of enterprises and workers and increased
investment in human capital
Training programmes for SMEs in the creative industries (
e. g. English for architects in order to enhance their
potential for export)
(4) Supporting the shift to the low-carbon economy
(6) Protecting the environment and promoting resource
efficiency
2. (a) Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon, climateresilient,
resource-efficient
and
environmentally
sustainable economy, through reform of education and
training systems, adaptation of skills and qualifications,
up-skilling of the labour force, and the creation of new jobs
in sectors related to the environment and energy
Establishment of further education programmes regarding
solar architecture and eco-design (e. g. university of the
arts and employment administration cooperation training
programme for the further education of unemployed
37
architects in solar architecture)
EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL COOPERATION (ERDF)
In addition to Article 5 of the draft ERDF regulation, the ERDF shall support the sharing of human
resources, facilities and infrastructures across borders under the different investment priorities.
The following list of opportunities is based on the chapter 3.2 and adds specific information
regarding cross-border, transnational and inter-regional cooperation.
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
-
-
-
-
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
(1) Strengthening research, technological development and
innovation
(b) Product and service development, demand stimulation,
clusters, open innovation through smart specialization and
social innovation
Product and service development in the creative industries in
a cross border or a transnational perspective (e. g.
transnational platform for the commercialization of
European ecological fashion design)
Establishment and implementation of creative industries
related clusters and networks across borders (e. g. cross
border network of umbrella organisations of architects)
Open innovation processes with the means of creative
methods in the framework of transnational exchange (e. g.
design thinking workshops from different universities of
the arts offered for local entrepreneurs in border regions)
Smart specialization with culture and creative industries
based on regional/local (statistical) evidence and related
comparative analysis and cooperation across borders (e. g.
cross-border mapping of creative industries including
development of co-operation pilot projects)
Social innovation projects with the involvement of the
creative sector in the framework of related good practice
exchange in a transnational perspective (e. g. networks of
European cities for the exchange of good practice methods
regarding creative sector social innovation projects)
(2) Enhancing access to and use and quality of ICT
(b) Developing ICT products and services
- Developing ICT products with cultural and creative content
for cultural areas across borders (e.g. such as apps for cross
border and multilingual guided tours to historic sites in
border regions)
- Developing and improving ICT services for specific target
groups (e.g. dedicated to the education sector regarding
cross border learning tools in a multilingual setting)
(c) Strengthening ICT applications for e-government
- Professional exchange on the modernization of eServices
between cultural administrations and ministries in a
transnational framework (e. g. electronic systems to
provide access to good practice examples funded from
ERDF)
(3) Enhancing competitiveness of SMEs
(a) Promoting entrepreneurship
- Developing education schemes to promote entrepreneurship
at schools and universities targeted to creative, artistic and
cultural professions covering border areas (e. g. cross
38
border management seminars for graduates from the
universities of the arts)
- Building-up networks and communities for new creative
entrepreneurs across borders or in a transnational setting
(e. g. cross border platform for innovative music
businesses)
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
(4) Supporting the shift to the low-carbon economy
(c) Supporting energy efficiency in public infrastructures
- Designing of an investment program for cultural
infrastructures to improve their energy efficiency in the
framework of cross border or transnational cooperation (e.
g. exchange of experience regarding the good practice
cooperation methods with solar architects and ecodesigners)
(e) Promoting low-carbon strategies for urban areas
- Exchange of experience regarding urban development with
the means of solar architecture across borders or on
transnational level
- Benchmarking of good practice regarding the promotion of
creative low-carbon strategies with the local population in
a transnational framework (e.g. community building for
urban gardening)
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
-
-
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
6) Protecting the environment and promoting resource
efficiency
(c) Protecting, promoting and developing cultural heritage
Transnational benchmarking regarding the (creative)
renovation of cultural buildings and infrastructures (e. g.
contemporary architecture interventions in historic
buildings)
Culture tourism projects across borders (e. g. Common
cultural events in border areas including cross border and
multilingual education and marketing activities)
Culture education projects across borders (e. g. cross border
cultural exchange of local schools on both sides of the
border)
Exchange of experience regarding new means of reuse of
historic buildings by the way of social innovation across
borders or in a transnational perspective (e. g. open ateliers
in historic buildings)
8) Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
(a) Development of business incubators and business
creation
- Creative Industries business incubators across borders (e. g.
transforming historic buildings in border regions to cross
border incubators including multilingual training
programme)
- Support and coaching programs for business creations in the
field of the cultural and creative industries in cooperation
with cross-border partners (e. g. small project facilities for
cooperative training of young entrepreneurs from the
creative industries from both sides of the border)
(i) Integrating cross-border labour markets, including
cross-border mobility, joint local employment initiatives
and joint training (cross-border cooperation only)
39
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
- Support and coaching programs for business creations in the
field of the cultural and creative industries in cooperation
with cross-border partners (e. g. establishment of crossborder trainee programme dedicated to small creative
businesses in the border regions)
Thematic Objectives
Draft ERDF Regulation
9) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
(b) support for physical and economic regeneration of
deprived urban and rural communities
- Exchange of experience regarding measures and innovative
projects to allow the cultural participation of people living
in deprived urban and rural communities in a
transnational setting (e. g. Europe-wide network of cultural
administrations aiming at developing citizens participation
in deprived urban areas)
(ii) Promoting gender equality and equal opportunities
across borders, as well as promoting social inclusion across
borders (cross-border cooperation only)
- Cross-border networking and support programs for women
in cultural professions as well as female artists (e. g.
common further education programme regarding cultural
management and cultural participation of women)
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Draft ETC Regulation
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Thematic Objectives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
10) Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning by
developing education and training infrastructure
- Investments in culture or creative industries related
education and training infrastructures for cross border use
(e. g. renovation of training centre in the border region)
(iii) Developing and implementing joint education and
training schemes (cross-border cooperation only)
- Cross-border trainings and workshops related to creative
competences, cultural exchange, language (e. g. cross
border platform of regional cultural centres including
training on language of the neighbouring region as well as
intercultural skills)
11) Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public
administration
Enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public
administration by strengthening of institutional capacity
and the efficiency of public administrations and public
services related to implementation of the ERDF, and in
support of actions in institutional capacity and in the
efficiency of public administration supported by the ESF.
- Transnational exchange and cooperation regarding technical
assistance measures for cultural administrations involved
in European Territorial Cooperation programs (e. g.
common trainings, common studies regarding the cultural
dimension of the European Territorial Cooperation
Programmes)
(iv) Promoting legal and administrative cooperation and
cooperation between citizens and institutions (crossborder cooperation only)
- Cross-border networks of cultural administrations, cultural
organizations and associations as well as related citizens
projects and cooperations (e. g. cross-border network of
40
Investment priorities:
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
umbrella organization of visual artists)
(b) Development and implementation of macro-regional
and sea-basin strategies (transnational cooperation only)
- Networks and cooperations of administrations in the
framework of larger strategies (like the Baltic Sea or the
Danube Strategy) with the involvement of cultural
administrations (e. g. Development of common strategies
for the promotion of music industry in the Baltic Sea
Region)
RURAL DEVELOPMENT (EAFRD)
The EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development) focuses also on the Europe 2020
strategy and on the thematic objectives of the Draft General Regulation, but uses a different
structure in the draft regulation regarding the measures which could be funded. Furthermore, all
of the priorities in EAFRD shall contribute to the cross-cutting objectives of innovation,
environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Thematic Objectives
Priorities
for
Rural
Developmenti
9) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
(6) promoting social inclusion poverty reduction and
economic development in rural areas, with a focus on the
following areas:
(a) facilitating diversification, creation of new small
enterprises and job creation;
(b) fostering local development in rural areas;
Especially relevant are therefore the following measures:
Article 21 – Basic services and village renewal in rural
areas:
Support under this measure shall cover in particular:
(d) investments in the setting-up, improvement or
expansion of local basic services for the rural population,
including leisure and culture, and the related
infrastructure;
(f) studies and investments associated with the
maintenance, restoration and upgrading of the cultural and
natural heritage of villages and rural landscapes, including
related socio-economic aspects;
(g) investments targeting the relocation of activities and
conversion of buildings or other facilities located close to
rural settlements, with a view to improving the quality of
life or increasing the environmental performance of the
settlement.
Support under this measure (Article 21) shall only concern
small-scale infrastructure, as defined by each Member
State in the programme.
Possible entry points for
culture-based initiatives
Article 42-45 LEADER
regulate the structures of local action groups
- Investments in small cultural infrastructures in rural areas or
villages (e. g. renovation of local cultural centre allowing
better access of local target groups like the elderly or
improving equipment for better access to digital activities)
- Studies on the potential of local cultural heritage (e. g.
feasibility study regarding the potential of intangible local
cultural heritage for education and tourism purpose)
- Culture-related local development strategies of LEADER
local action groups (e. g. innovative mid-term strategy
41
based on local cultural heritage and creative innovation
potential of a region as a focal point of a local development
strategy 2014-2020)
- Transnational cooperation and exchange of LEADER local
action groups on the topic of culture (e. g. learning network
of LEADER groups regarding the innovation potential of
cultural associations in rural areas)
- Furthering innovative co-operation projects in the
framework of LEADER (e. g. networks of farm tourism
providers and local creative industries companies to
develop new forms of offers)
CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE EUROPEAN MARITIME AND FISHERIES FUND (EMFF)
The draft regulation of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) focuses on to the
sustainable development of fisheries areas also by the means of local development strategies based
on Fisheries local action groups. Article 65 of the draft regulation provides a list of objectives of
such local development strategies and includes the promotion of social well-being and cultural
heritage in fisheries areas including maritime cultural heritage.
European
platform
against poverty
“Social innovation is an important
new field to find alternative ways of
meeting social needs which are not
adequately met by the market or the
public sector. Culture and the creative
industries are not only able to boost
the economy, but have the potential to
create additional social benefit for the
society as a whole (e. g. by using
creative tools for the improvement of
cross border integration).”
Related documents:
European Platform
against Poverty and
Social Exclusion EU
2020 Flagship:
http://ec.europa.eu/soc
ial/main.jsp?langId=en
&catId=961
EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
As the structure in the EAFRD regulations differs from the one used for the ERDF and the ESF
regarding the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Flagship Initiatives, the following arguments are not
directly linked to these strategic EU documents:
Elements to build on
arguments:
“Culture is one of the basic services in rural areas and
villages. The maintenance and further development of
cultural and creative infrastructure is therefore a precondition for sustainable rural development.”
“Protecting the cultural heritage is a pre-condition for a
successful rural tourism and to allow the education sector
adequate access to the local history. It further shapes the
image of a rural area and villages and contributes to the
positive awareness of local people. Cultural
infrastructures are furthermore platforms for exchange in
rural communities and a meeting point for the young
people.”
“Creative people in rural areas are innovators
42
contributing actively to cultural, artistic and societal
development having the potential to substantially
contribute to integrated approaches like e. g. the
LEADER method.”
Funding Program:
More Information:
Rural Development Programme (RDP) for Malta 2007 –
2013, Programme Leader, Action 413.6
http://www.leadermajjistral.eu/
43
2. Arguments
Negotiations for the integration of culture-based initiatives in the future EU Regional Development
Policy funds depend on the specific national, regional and local contexts. The following list of
arguments provides you with some of the most common statements in order to start building your
arguments for the discussion with relevant authorities. It has been structured around the objectives
and challenges of the EU Regional Development Policy and in line with the EU2020 strategy
objectives. When constructing your arguments it is key to keep the different possibilities offered by
the different funds in mind. Also, if you have decided to advocate for one particular issue to be
supported from the Regional Development Policy funds in your region, it is crucial that you develop
your arguments further during the negotiations and back them up with supporting documents.
Therefore, we strongly encourage you to consult the links mentioned in the right-hand column.
Relevance for the
Funds
Elements to build on arguments,
linked to the objectives of the
funds
Links to Europe 2020
objectives, flagship
initiatives and
background documents
Culture provides content for innovation in ICT and leads to new forms of innovation.
ERDF,
Territorial cooperation
“Culture and creative industries
are key content providers for the
eBusiness and new eApplications
and are able to considerably
enhance the regional
attractiveness.” (also in border
regions as well as in a multilingual
setting)
Smart growth
Flagship: Digital
agenda for Europe
http://ec.europa.eu/inf
ormation_society/digit
alagenda/index_en.htm
Culture contributes to the development of digital literacy skills and digital know-how.
ESF
“Digital literacy is one of the key
competences for employees and
entrepreneurs from the cultural
sector or the creative industries.
Cultural initiatives provide
excellent training conditions for
the improvement of digital knowhow in Europe.”
Smart growth
Flagship: Digital
Agenda for Europe
http://ec.europa.eu/inf
ormation_society/digit
alagenda/index_en.htm
Culture helps develop creativity, which is the basis for innovation.
ERDF,
“Opportunities for regional
development go beyond
technological innovation.
Creativity can lead to new products
and services in all kinds of
businesses, ranging from
traditional sectors closely linked to
local development, such as food,
textiles, crafts and tourism, to
more cutting edge sectors such as
Smart growth
Flagship: Innovation
Union
Regional Policy
contributing to smart
growth in Europe 2020:
http://ec.europa.eu/reg
ional_policy/sources/d
ocoffic
/official/communic/sm
44
ICT and product and industrial
design.”
(Regional Policy contributing to
smart growth in Europe 2020, DG
REGIO, pages 23-28)
“(…) Good examples of
interdisciplinary approaches in
universities bringing together skills
ranging from research to financial
business skills and from creativity
and design to intercultural skills.
The new Aalto University in
Finland is an example.”
(Innovation Union, p. 9)
ESF
Territorial cooperation
To prepare SMEs and their
employees for the changing
economy:
“Culture-based creativity is an
essential feature of a postindustrial economy. A firm needs
more than an efficient
manufacturing process, costcontrol and a good technological
base to remain competitive. It also
requires a strong brand, motivated
staff and a management that
respects creativity and
understands its process. It also
needs the development of products
and services that meet citizens’
expectations or that create these
expectations. Culture-based
creativity can be very helpful in
this respect.”
(The impact of culture on
creativity, Study on behalf of DG
EAC, p. 5)
art_growth/comm2010
_553_en.pdf
Flagship: Innovation
Union EU 2020
http://ec.europa.eu/res
earch/innovationunion/index_en.cfm
RIS Guide of the Smart
Specialisation Platform
(draft 12/2011):
http://ipts.jrc.ec.europ
a.eu/activities/research
-andinnovation/documents/
guide/draft_12_12_201
1.pdf
European Creative
Industries Alliance
http://www.howtogrow
.eu/ecia/
European Design
Innovation Initiative:
http://ec.europa.eu/ent
erprise/policies/innova
tion/policy/designcreativity/edii_en.htm
“Internationally competitive
clusters play a vital role in bringing
together large companies and
SMEs, universities, research
centres and communities of
scientists and practitioners to
exchange knowledge and ideas.”
(Innovation Union, p. 18) “Border
regions can play an important role
to establish a critical mass for
these clusters – also in the field of
the cultural and creative
industries.”
Culture contributes to youth employment.
45
ERDF
“Youth employment is a crucial
success factor for regional
economic development. Cultural
institutions, organisations and
enterprises are attractive work
places for young people.
Investments in local cultural
centres and hubs have therefore
the potential to benefit directly
young local unemployed.
Indirectly, culture and creative
environment raises the
attractiveness of regions as places
to live and work”
ESF
“Youth employment is a crucial
success factor for regional
economic development. Cultural
institutions and creative
organisations are attractive work
places for young people. Investing
in artistic and cultural skills and
competences of the youth can
decrease their unemployment
levels in the regions.
Territorial cooperation
Creating work opportunities in
cultural and creative sector has
positive effects for motivating
young people to stay in rural,
remote or border regions.
1.
Smart growth
Flagship: Youth on the
move
An initiative to unleash
the potential of young
people to achieve
smart, sustainable and
inclusive growth in the
European Union
http://europa.eu/youth
onthemove/docs/com
munication/youth-onthe-move_EN.pdf
Culture contributes to the promotion and communication of the sustainable behaviour and
habits.
ERDF, ESF
“The cultural and creative sector
can provide show cases for
sustainable, low-carbon and highquality renovation projects with
the potential to create awareness
and to shape the image of the
region and the city.”
2.
Sustainable growth
Flagship: A resourceefficient Europe
http://ec.europa.eu/res
ource-efficienteurope/pdf/resource_e
fficient_europe_en.pdf
Through the synergies between
culture and education, culture can
benefit sustainable growth in
Europe.”
Cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure help shape a positive image of the region both
among tourists and local people.
ERDF
“Protecting the cultural heritage is
a pre-condition for a successful
European tourism and to allow the
education sector adequate access
to regional and local history. It
further shapes the image of a
region and a city and contributes
Sustainable growth
Flagship: A resourceefficient Europe
http://ec.europa.eu/res
ource-efficienteurope/pdf/resource_e
fficient_europe_en.pdf
46
to the positive awareness of local
people. Cultural infrastructures are
also platforms for representation
and networking for regions and
cities.”
Territorial cooperation
“Sustainable development of
border regions as well as of
transnational cooperation areas is
based on cooperation and
exchange between local actors in
an interregional setting. The
cultural field plays an important
role to moderate and support
intercultural dialogue across
borders.”
Investments in culture-based SMEs can contribute considerably to regional and local
competitiveness and stimulate employment.
ERDF, ESF
“Culture and Creative Industries are
high-growth sectors contributing
substantially to regional and
national as well as the European
economy.”
“Culture and Creative Industries
(CCI) contribute to 4.5% of the total
EU GDP (more than the EU food
industry or the EU chemical
industry). Around 6.7 million people
are working in CCI – 3.8% of the EU
workforce. The annual employment
growth is +3.5%. The annual growth
of CCI export is +3.4%.” (European
Competitiveness Report 2010 & The
Economy of Culture)
Sustainable growth
Flagship: An Industrial
Policy for the
Globalisation Era EU
(especially the
Competitiveness Report
2010 including analysis
on CCI in Europe):
http://bookshop.europ
a.eu/en/europeancompetitiveness-report2010-pbNBAK10001/
“Between 2000 and 2007,
employment in the creative
industries grew by an average of
3.5% per annum, compared to 1% in
the overall EU-27 economy.”
(Competitiveness Report 2010)
“A large share of small firms is a
common characteristics of the
creative industry. (…) The majority
(58%) of businesses in the creative
industry consist of self-employed
people.” (Competitiveness Report
2010)
This kind of initiatives has also the
potential to considerable reduce
local unemployment.
47
Culture-based initiatives help to develop new skills related to the adaption to change.
ERDF, ESF,
Territorial Cooperation
“The artists, cultural sector and the
creative industries stimulate
creativity and contribute to the
development of new skills related to
adaption to change and to the new
ways of working. They also play a
role in fostering entrepreneurship.
Investments e. g. in related technical
equipment of local cultural centres
contribute therefore to inclusive
growth.”
Inclusive growth
Flagship: An Agenda
for new skills and jobs:
A European
contribution towards
full employment
http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriSe
rv/LexUriServ.do?uri=
COM:2010:0682:FIN:E
N:PDF
“Especially in remote or border
areas, cultural institutions can be
the only place for related training.”
“The ESF Regulations for the
programming periods of 2000-2006
and 2007-2013 do not make
reference to culture and tourism as a
specific area of intervention.
However a high number of measures
or priority axes are relevant to
culture and/or tourism, leading to
projects in these fields. For instance,
many culture and/or tourism
projects have resulted from
measures for active labour market
participation or adaptability of
workers and enterprises that do not
specifically mention these sectors.”
(The European Social Fund, Culture
and Tourism, European Union,
2010, p. 5)
Culture has a role to play in
education. Artistic and cultural
activities play a role in enhancing
school attractiveness and in
improving attainment levels.
Through creative partnerships
between cultural and education
institutions, private, public and nongovernmental bodies, access to and
participation in cultural activities
can help acquire new skills and
stimulate employment.
Culture has a role to play in social inclusion and social cohesion.
ERDF, ESF
“Social innovation is an important
new field to find alternative ways of
Inclusive growth
Flagship: European
48
meeting social needs which are not
adequately met by the market or the
public sector. Culture and the
creative industries have the potential
to create additional social benefit for
the society as a whole (e. g. by using
creative tools for the improvement
of local involvement in regional
development, by developing projects
against social exclusion).”
Access and participation in artistic
and cultural activities for socially
excluded groups such as migrants,
minorities, youth, elderly can help
enhance their social capital, selfesteem, develop different skills and
competences and thereby improve
the regional social cohesion.
Investment in social inclusion
should be done through both skills,
training, services as well as
infrastructure that can be a place for
development of skills, training and.
Through the synergies between
culture and education (formal,
informal and non-formal learning),
culture can be a tool for
communication about different
rights, for developing new
behaviours and enhancing
intercultural dialogue. This can
considerably enhance social
inclusion and cohesion within a
region or across borders and
regions.
Platform against
Poverty and
Social Exclusion EU
2020:
http://ec.europa.eu/soc
ial/main.jsp?langId=en
&catId=961
49
Basic campaign facts
What is the campaign about?
we are more is a Europe-wide campaign for the arts and culture. It was launched in October 2010
and will run until 2013. The campaign aims to influence the next EU budget beyond 2014. The we
are more campaign asks for two kinds of support in the next EU budget. Firstly, a reinforced
Culture Programme that is more daring and experimental than the current one. Secondly, explicit
support for culture, heritage and the arts in the EU programmes that are dedicated to cohesion and
local and regional development, namely the so-called Structural Funds.
Who is behind the campaign?
The we are more campaign has been set up by Culture Action Europe, a civil society membership
organisation and political platform for the arts and culture. The campaign is carried out in strategic
partnership with the European Cultural Foundation. Culture Action Europe currently has over 100
members that together represent over 80.000 arts and culture players across Europe and beyond –
in more than 14 artistic disciplines. The campaign is run in an open source way, and provides tools
on the campaign website that encourage and facilitate for the entire cultural sector as well as
individuals to get involved in and support the campaign.
Why the name we are more – act for culture in Europe?
Because we want to send a broad, positive message and use the campaign to demonstrate the many
different ways in which individuals, communities and arts organisations do more, and contribute
more to our societies than what is visible at first glance. Just as the EU is more than coal and steel,
we need to speak about more than a single market, GDP and economic growth if we want to discuss
wellbeing and human development. This campaign wants to show that we are many organisations
built up by individuals who value and act for culture in Europe. We are citizens, artists, parents,
arts organisations, lovers of culture, and active participants in society.
Join!
On the campaign website you will find plenty of tools to give visibility to the campaign, as well as
ideas for activities when you are ready to take your support one step further. You can sign the
manifesto that is available in more than thirty languages, and even place the manifesto signature
box on your own website to help collect signatures in real time! Visit the campaign website now,
and make sure to subscribe to the bimonthly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to
get the latest news!
We’re curious to hear about your ideas and your activities – please stay in touch!
If you would like to learn more about our activities and about the benefits of being a member,
please do not hesitate to contact us on:
Culture Action Europe
Rue de la Science 10
B-1000 Brussels
T. +32 2 534 4002
F. +32 2 534 1150
campaign@wearemore.eu
www.wearemore.eu
50