ELIA Joins CAE & 30+ Networks to Defend Creative Europe Programme

Culture Action Europe (CAE), collectively with 30 European cultural networks and organisations, including ELIA, has issued a letter to the European Council and national ministers of culture and finance. We are urging a reversal of the proposed €27.56 million cut in commitment appropriations and €9.86 million in payment appropriations to the Creative Europe programme for 2026.

ELIA and partner networks warn that, while Creative Europe represents only around 0.2% of the EU’s total budget, the proposed cuts would have a disproportionate impact on Europe’s cultural and creative ecosystem. This sector is already under pressure from rising costs, limited funding, and precarious working conditions.

The letter emphasises that “culture is not a luxury, but an essential pillar of European democracy, diversity, and resilience.”

We are urging EU leaders to:

• Reverse the proposed budget cut to Creative Europe, the EU’s sole dedicated instrument for cultural funding.
• Ensure that 2% of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034) is allocated to European cultural content creation and the reinforcement of Europe’s democratic cultural ecosystem, both through AgoraEU and across other funding programmes.

Demand for Creative Europe is high. The most recent call received over 1,600 applications, but only 10–15% were funded. CAE highlights that this is an urgent need for more investment, not less.

This appeal builds on CAE’s co-created policy vision with approximately 30 member networks including ELIA, Towards the Culture Compass: A Sector Blueprint.

As ELIA together with Culture Action Europe and the other signatories, stresses, “Investing in culture means investing in Europe’s democratic health, social cohesion, and collective imagination.”

Read the full letter here>

Image Credit: Mariana Pedroza