Advocacy, FERA Statement, News
Organizations across the European film and audiovisual sector welcome the budgetary increase for Creative Europe – MEDIA
Organisations working across the European film and audiovisual sector, representing film and TV authors, screenwriters, directors, producers, sale agents, publishers and distributors of films both offline and online, cinema operators and VOD platforms welcome the budgetary increase of the Creative Europe Programme resulting in a total envelope of 2.2 billion EUR, which reflects the importance of Europe’s cultural and creative industries.
The consequent budgetary increase for the Creative Europe – MEDIA sub-programme will provide key support to the European film and audiovisual sector in continuing to bring unique stories to European citizens and in facing the consequences of COVID-19.
Over the next few years, the MEDIA strand of the Creative Europe Programme has a vital role to play for independent audiovisual creation across Europe, fostering creative freedom, diversity in storytelling, and allowing smaller production countries to find their own unique creative voices. Its significant results over the last 30 years must be built upon and used to guide the working programmes of the next generation of the programme, now that it has the means to support the European film and audiovisual sector in getting back on its feet for the sake of its authors, talents, companies, workers, audiences and European citizens alike.
Our sector’s value-chain is built on a variety of local industries, all of whom contribute greatly to the diversity and quality of Europe’s cultural offer and will be all the more relevant after the crisis. These stakeholders should therefore remain front-and-centre as we look ahead to the future of Creative Europe MEDIA: the increased funding for the Creative Europe Programme and its MEDIA strand will, more than ever, be key for our sector’s survival, sustainability and future economic growth and consequently for its important contributions to European and national economies, employment, diversity and cultural identity.
Read and download the Open Letter here.
Read and download the Annex to the Open Letter here.
Photo: Eric Herchaft/ European Commission