Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
1295. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports which are being or will be made available through the Creative Europe programme for the island of Ireland; the funding or State mechanism that funding and support will be disseminated through; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9454/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraCreative Europe is the EU’s framework programme to support the cultural and audiovisual sectors. The current programme runs from 2014 to 2020 with an overall budget of €1.46 billion (funding to MEDIA 54%; Culture 31%; Cross-sectoral 31%). Support to the culture sector includes funding for projects across all genres, such as literature, dance, theatre, music and the visual arts. It also includes support for the European Capitals of Culture programme of which Galway is a current beneficiary. The €1.5m Melina Mercouri Prize was paid to Galway 2020 in February this year under Creative Europe.
Support to the audiovisual sector includes funding for projects at all stages of the production process, including slate, development, production and post-production, sales and distribution. Notable films that recently obtained support, and in which Ireland was one of the partner countries, were Oscar winning The Favourite, and recent releases Sea Fever and Vivarium.
The Programme is run by MEDIA and Culture Desks in each participating country, the operation of which is funded under the cross-sectoral strand of the Programme.
Funding for projects under Creative Europe is made available on a competitive basis across the EU Member States as well as additional non-EU participating countries under periodic calls and all applications are assessed by the European Audiovisual and Cultural Executive Agency (EACEA), which also contracts directly with and disseminates the funding for successful projects.
The Creative Europe Desk Northern Ireland operates and reports as part of UK participation in Creative Europe therefore all figures quoted hereunder for supports under the Creative Europe Programme refer to the Republic only.
Under the current Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, Irish companies have received awards totalling €10,988,757, as follows:
- Development – Single Project Funding: €1,980,000
- Development - Slate Funding: €4,590,873
- Development - Video Games: €924,356
- TV programming (TV Production): €1,355,495
- Audience Development: €59,971
- Training: €1,227,975
- Access to Markets: €336,750
- Film Festivals: €110,000
- Distribution: €208,818
- Promotion of European Works online: €194,520
At present, Ireland is awaiting results for up to 30 applications for a range of MEDIA Schemes including Development Single Project and Slate, TV Programming, Market Access and Festivals.
The majority of funding under the Creative Europe Culture Programme is allocated to cooperation projects among two or more countries across the schemes operated. Under the current Programme, 66 Irish organisations have been involved in funded projects with total direct grant funding to Ireland of €4,733,008 million, as follows:
- Support for European Cooperation Projects – 58 Irish organisations involved in funded projects across the genres of the cultural sector, partnering with organisations in 34 (from a total of 41 participating) countries: €4,075,810
- Support for European Platforms - 7 Irish organisations involved in 7 Platform projects: €320,00
- Support for Literary Translations – 3 direct grants to an Irish Publisher (2 annual and 1 multi-annual): €337,198
At present, Ireland is awaiting results on 27 applications under the Support for European Cooperation Projects Scheme 2020 where an organisation from Ireland is either a lead or partner in the application.
The Creative Europe Culture Desk is also working with 5 Irish arts organisations in making applications under the Cooperation Projects with the Western Balkans 2020, as well as on a call to promote the arts and culture sector under the EU4Dialogue Programme.
