On 17 December 2025, the European Commission adopted a major evaluation report covering ten years of the Creative Europe programme. The findings confirm that the EU’s flagship funding scheme has successfully safeguarded cultural diversity while driving significant economic investment.
The report evaluates both the previous funding period (2014–2020) and the first half of the current programme. It paints a clear picture of a sector that is growing more connected and competitive, despite facing rapid market changes.
Connecting Culture Across Borders
For the cultural sector, the impact has been tangible. The report highlights that the Culture strand has supported over 1,800 projects involving 6,700 organisations. Crucially for makers and creative professionals, the programme has funded nearly 500,000 mobility days. This support has been essential in helping artists and their work circulate between countries, overcoming the linguistic and geographical barriers that often fragment the European market.
Unlocking Finance for Small Businesses
One of the most significant success stories lies in access to finance. Small creative enterprises often struggle to secure loans, but the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility has changed the landscape. Implemented with the European Investment Fund, this mechanism has leveraged almost €2 billion in loans. By reducing the financial risk for lenders, it has cut the shortfall in access to debt finance by up to 30 per cent. This success has now paved the way for MediaInvest, a new equity instrument designed to further support the audiovisual sector.
Wider Reach for European Stories
The report also detailed the massive reach of the MEDIA strand. European films and series supported by the programme are far more visible than those without EU backing. On average, supported works are broadcast in 9.5 more countries and screened in 6.6 more cinema markets than their non-supported counterparts.
Sector-Specific Impact: The ECA Context
Within the European Crafts Alliance network, these broader findings are reflected in specific project outcomes. The recently concluded EU co-funded project CRAFTING, for instance, engaged over 1.4 million citizens and supported nearly 500 events across Europe, mirroring the Commission’s findings on the value of mobility and cross-border exchange. Similarly, the project’s investment in professional development, equipping over 8,000 craftspeople with new skills, aligns with the report’s emphasis on capacity building. This momentum continues with the ECA’s CRAFTSNET project. Launched in May 2025 with a €1.19 million co-funding budget, it aims to utilise these European mechanisms to support the sector’s long-term growth.