Information about the issues of culture, education and audiovisual media of the European Union
The Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an attempt to inform and encourage public participation in the cultural activities of the EU, provides the following detailed information for navigating websites devoted to issues of civilization, education and audiovisual media, though the European Commission webpage.
European Commission webpage: http://ec.europa.eu
- General information about invited projects : http://ted.publications.eu.int
- About cultural projects only: www.cupid.culture.info (CUPID: EU database of cultural projects)
- Forthcoming projects about specific cultural, educational and audiovisual issues
see below
On the main EC website there is information about the following subjects:
a. Whats new: News this month. (News and updated information about the cultural sector, European and international activities to which the EC takes part, as well as calls for participation in the latest project announcements (i.e. Education and Culture: evaluation programme support to European Cultural Bodies COpen contest, application deadline:l 15.09.06).
b. Activities C what the EU does by subject Key sites Culture:
b1. CULTURE:
Culture 2000 (presentation): brief presentation of the programme as it is, with links to annual projects or multiannual cooperation agreements or special events.
Culture 2000 (how to take part): links for the conditions of participation and deadlines for each project.
Other actions: European capitals of culture (history, means of selection and funding, cities network etc.) or Support of cultural organisations of european interest (guidelines for applications for funding) or Actions after2006 (guidelines for the new programme Culture 2007 etc).
Information sources (official documents, studies etc.) Culture and Community policies the use of Structural Funds (among others, evaluation of past use of structural funding for cultural projects).
b2. CULTURE PORTAL Europe in action
1. Cultural cooperation
MEDIA programme for the audiovisual sector: (http://ec.europa.euC audiovisual sector) media programmes calls for proposals and other programmes current and past support programmes calls for proposals.
6th Framework Programme for research and technological advancement: (http://fp6.cordis.lu), with sub-programmes for the protection of cultural heritage: (www.cordis.lu.ist/directorate_e/digicult), the use of digital technology for the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity: (www.cordis.lu/econtent/home.html), working people mobility: (http://europa.eu/comm/research/fp6/) etc.
7th Framework Programme for research and technological advancement: (fp7.cordis.lu) Information about the programmes that will run from 2007 to 2013.
Regional Policy programmes: http://europa.eu/comm/regional_policy/themes/cultur_en.htm tourism and culture for general information and news room TED for calls of funded activities on a daily basis
LEADER+ Programmes: http://europa.eu/comm/agriculture/rur/leaderplus and FIFG: http://europa.eu/comm/fisheries/policy_en, that support cultural activities within the framework of their wider scope (i.e. networking between agricultural organisations aiming at the protection and promotion of the environmental cultural heritage or the founding of a museum of fishing boats etc.)
2. Cultural industries
Support Programmes:
- Audiovisual Sector MEDIA programme (see above 1 point 1)
- Multimedia Sector eContent programme (see below 4 point 5)
A competition-friendly environment Access to the capital market offers long term loans by the European Investment Bank (www.eib.org) for the support of investment in the areas of research and industrial development with cultural scope as well as in the area of cultural tourism
Support of Small and Medium sized Enterprises that are active in the cultural sector (http://europa.eu/comm/enterprise/enterpreneurship/ policy areas access to finance EU funding programmes main funding opportunities).
A competition friendly environment Research and Innovation 6th Framework Programme for research and technological advancement (http://fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/home.cfm whats new calls),
Multimedia and Tools (www.cordis.lu/ist/ka3/ Calls & Context).
3. The culture professionals
Training and mobility of professionals:
Leonardo da Vinci programme (http://europa.eu/comm/programmes /leonardo news whats new) supports educational activities in the cultural and linguistic sector (for activities in the educational sector see below point II),
artists residence programme (www.art4eu.net) and On-the-move (www.on-the-move.org news and announcements) encourage the exchange among European artists in all areas of culture
Culture and Employment:
Activities of the European Social Fund: (http://europa.eu/comm/employment_social/esf2000/index whats new calls for tender tenders/grants),
EURES network (http://europa.eu/eures/home) to support job search in Europe, including the cultural sector.
4. Cultural facilities
Buildings:
The European Regional Development Fund (see above 1, point 3) finances among others, projects of building development for cultural purposes, as well as relevant actions that deal with historical building renovation in order to be transformed to museums, libraries, concert halls, multimedia centres etc. Similar activities are also financed by the Community initiatives URBAN for urban environment. (europa.eu/comm/regional_policy/urban2/index_en.htm structural actions in support of urban issues and
INTERREG (http://europa.eu/comm/regional_policy/interreg3/index.htm whats new or the strands A,B,C and the programmes interact-eu.net news) for regions near the borders.
Protecting the cultural environment:
Within the framework programme LIFE III, for the environment the EU funds programmes for the maintenance and tourist development of archaeological, cultural etc. landscapes. (http://europa.eu/comm/ environment/life/home.htm funding).
Research activities:
Supports mostly cultural projects within the 6th Framework Programme for research and technological advancement (see above 1, point 2): www.cordis.lu/fp6/support.htm calls for this activity).
5. Technological facilities:
The research programme User-friendly Information Society (www.cordis.lu/ist/activit.htm news & events) also supports the use of digital technologies for the management and promotion of cultural projects.
Among others, Minerva programme, which is funded by the 6th Framework Programme for research and technological advancement and supports activities that develop digitalisation in the cultural sector. (www.cordis.lu/ist/directorate_e/ digicult/minerva.htm Programme & Calls). Also relevant (digital cultural products and multilingual applications) is the e-content programme (www.cordis.lu/econtent news)
CULTURE PORTAL Activities Architecture
Architectural quality:
Raising the awareness of the European public opinion about the quality in architecture, combined with action towards the promotion of architectural talents, is among the aims of the Culture 2000 programme, as well as of the action European prize of contemporary architecture (www.miesbcn.com).
Architectural quality is one of the requirements for the adaptation of many programmes funded by the structural funds, especially URBAN II programme (see above 4 point 1).
Measures in support of architects:
Measures in support of the architects profession are included in the SOCRATES programme (concerned with student mobility mostly: europa.eu/comm/education/programmes/socrates)
6. Visual arts
Training, creativity and mobility:
European programmes for young artists (www.germinations.org).
Awareness and dissemination of works:
Mostly though Netdays project (www.netdayseurope.org) and EU-NET ART project (www.eunetart.org).
7. Cinema and audiovisual media
Preservation of cultural heritage:
Concerning the preservation and promotion of cinema and audiovisual cultural heritage through digital technology of the 6th Framework Programme for research and technological advancement, see also: www.cordis.lu/ist/ka3/digicult/filmher.htm Furthermore, for multimedia service provision aiming at the access to cultural heritage, funding may be provided within the framework of eTEN (http://europa.eu.int/Information_society/activities/eten/index_en.htm calls).
Education through visual image:
eLearning action plan is a programme aiming at promoting the use of new multimedia in education.(http://europa.eu.int/comm./education/programmes/elearning/en_htm call for proposals)
8. Dance
Social integration through dance:
The European Social Fund supports actions related to artistic education (dance, theatre etc.) aiming at the integration of youth, unemployed, special needs people etc.(http://europa.eu/comm/employment_social/equal/en_htm).
9. Books
Translations
eContent programme supports, among others, the development of mechanical translation technologies, aiming at the preservation of linguistic diversity in literary texts. (www.cordis.lu/econtent)
10. Music
The European Union supports, among others, projects for infrastructure through structural funds (i.e. music schools, concert halls, creative writing workshops etc.-see above 4 point 1), for the founding and operation of European orchestras, electronic networks for access, dissemination and preservation of musical heritage(i.e.. www.cordis.lu/ist/activit.htm), like the networks (www.)wedelmusic(.org) or (www.)mudicu(.org), for music studies and contests (i.e. www.operaeurope.org), while actions concerning education and training of youth or unemployed musicians are also provided for in YOUTH (http://europa.eu/comm/youth/call) and SOCRATES programmes, and in the Social Fund programmes (http://europa.eu.int/comm./employement _social/esf200/index).
b) international collaboration
(http://europa.eu/comm/culture/portal/action/relations/relation_en.htm)
Cultural partnerships with non-member countries
Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific - ACP Social and Human Development Culture Europeaid Tender and calls for proposal notices.
The Southern Mediterranean region and the Middle East
regional programmes calls for proposals.
MEDA programme with links to various actions like: Euromed Heritage Programme (www.euromedheritage.net) and generally tender opportunities site.
EUMEDIS Information Society (http://ec.europa.eu/information_society) funding opportunities.
Commission delegations external relations contact a web site (links to all the European Commission representation around the world, hence the relevant announcements of funded activities and works)
Mediterranean partner countries International Cooperation Activities in FP6 calls for this activity.
Central, Eastern and South-East Europe
The search for announcements concerning relevant programmes (PHARE,CARDS, SAPARD, ISPA and TACIS) may be performed through the European Commission homepage (http://europa.eu.int/comm) External assistance (search engine Europeaid quick tender search).
Intercultural dialogue
Erasmus Mundus programme supports actions aiming at the inter-cultural dialogue between the EU and third countries, through exchanges in the sector of tertiary education (ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/ mundus/index) key documents calls for proposals relating to the academic year 2006/7.
Community initiative Netdays promotes the utilisation of new technologies in the cultural sector, with emphasis to activities that promote inter-cultural dialogue (www.netdayseurope.org).
Euro-Med Youth programme offers similar capacities within the framework of euro-Mediterranean youth collaboration (ec.europa.eu /youth/priorities/euromed).
Euro-Mediterranean foundation Anna Lindh for inter-cultural dialogue (www.bibalex.org).
Similar activities can be found within European Neighbourhood Policy, hence the detailed presentation of specific TACIS activities (ec.europa.eu/comm/world/enp/index).
International collaboration within the framework of Research and Technological Advancement
More information on cultural issues of European interest are also included in the website of the greek Ministry of Culture (ODYSSEUS): http://www.culture.gr/
- Home page -3rd EU Support Framework
- The identity of the Ministry European Projects
- Guide to the Internet International Cultural Organizations, European Union & Culture
- Greek cultural contact point: Aims at ensuring continuous update of all interested parties about the cultural programmes of the European Commission and the existing funding possibilities for present projects as well as for possible support of future submissions within the framework of cultural programmes.
Further information about the educational issues of the EU are included in the website of the Ministry of Education (www.ypepth.gr), while for the audiovisual issues of the EU, one may also obtain information from the General Press Secretariat website (www.minpress.gr).