Theme

Funding for promoting the creative industries

Creative and Cultural Innovation Expertise is one of the national ESF+ themes. Within this theme, funding is available for projects that strengthen:

The creative industries and creative economy
Expertise within the arts and culture sectors

The total amount of funding available to projects during the 2021–2027 programme period is 13.6 million euros. The ELY Centre for Häme serves as the funding authority for the theme and is responsible for funding decisions.

The first application round ended in May 2023. The next call for applications is 13 January – 31 March 2025.

What types of projects are funded?

Projects within the theme should focus on one or more of the following:

1) Strengthening the creative industries and creative economy

Strengthen the creative industries and creative economy as a diversifier of the economic structure by:

Improving business skills and digital competence
Strengthening cross-sector operating models
Increasing travel capabilities
Developing the ability to act as different innovation platforms

2) Strengthening the arts and culture sectors

Strengthen the arts and culture sectors by developing the following areas, for example:

Quality, impact and availability of services
Innovation activities
Production skills
Sustainable development of cultural environments
Cultural diversity skills

ESF+ funding enables development work that would not be possible within the regular activities of the applicant. In other words, the funding does not cover basic operations.

The activity to be funded should have a national impact. Cross-sectoral changes and changes within the global operating environment should be taken into account, such as digitisation, the data economy, climate change, and changes caused by the demographic structure and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Who can apply?

Target groups

The target groups of funded projects should be actors and professionals in the creative industries or other actors who utilise the expertise of the creative industries.

Examples of target groups include:

Employees, managers, entrepreneurs and those who intend to become entrepreneurs and who have immigrated to Finland.
Creative and cultural organisations, associations, foundations and municipalities, education and training organisations, research institutes, art and culture institutes, and other developers of working life and services together with their staff.
Employed persons whose current skills in the creative industries need to be updated or whose continuation in working life needs to be secured.

A more precise description of target groups is available in the call for applications (in Finnish and Swedish).

Project activities should be aimed at individual customers, and the purpose of the funding is to benefit the widest possible group.

Kuvituskuvassa kuusi violettia ihmishahmoa.

“The bureaucracy related to project management has been eased for this funding term, so even smaller actors working in the right kinds of project networks genuinely have an excellent opportunity to receive funding to promote the creative industries. It is not necessary to be an ESF expert to apply for funding.”

Sofia-Charlotta Kakko

Project Manager, Creative Net

Support for projectisation and applying

First application round

Application period: 15 March – 15 May 2023
Funding decisions: November-December 2023
Total amount allocated: approximately 6 M€

A total of 81 applications were received, of which 50 were for projects to implemented by one person and 31 for group projects.

The total amount of funding applied for in the first round was more than 20 million euros, whereas a total of approximately 6 million euros has been allocated.

The schedule for further application rounds will be confirmed this autumn once the funding decisions for the first round have been made.

Further information

ELY Centre for Häme, Minna Taipale, Financing Specialist, [email protected], +358 (0)295 025 106

Call for applications in Finnish and Swedish (EURA 2021)

Description of the national theme (rakennerahastot.fi)

Regional ESF+ funding

Projects within the arts, culture and creative sectors can also apply for regional funding under the “New expertise for working life” theme.

Creative Net also supports those participating in regional ESF+ funding, those interested in applying and those who have already received funding. Application criteria and schedules can be found on the Structural Funds website.

Regional calls for applications on the Structural Funds website