EU’s Cultural and Media Program Creative Europe

Creative Europe is the EU’s largest and most important framework programme for the cultural and audiovisual sectors, with 40 participating countries. Norway has taken part in EU cultural and media programs since 1996 and is participating in the current Creative Europe programme period from 2021 to 2027.

The program supports a wide range of European cooperation projects, networks, and platforms. This offers Norwegian actors in TV, film, art, and culture with new funding opportunities, new possibilities for international collaboration, and access to a broader European audience.

Creative Europe consists of a sub-program for arts and culture (CULTURE), a sub-program for TV, film, and games (MEDIA) and a cross-sectoral strand. European Capitals of Culture are also part of Creative Europe. The programme strengthens the competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability of the cultural and creative sectors across Europe.

Arts and Culture serves as the coordinating body and has a special responsibility for informing and guiding Norwegian stakeholders about the CULTURE sub-programme. The Norwegian Film Institute is responsible for informing and advising Norwegian stakeholders about the MEDIA sub-programme.

EEA Grants

The EEA Grants are Norway’s, Iceland’s and Liechtenstein’s contribution towards reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. Funding is provided to 15 beneficiary states in Central and Southern Europe within a variety of different sectors. A key priority of the EEA Grants it so strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between the beneficiary and donor states at all levels.

In the current funding period more than 177 million EUR are provided to cultural entrepreneurship, cultural heritage and cultural cooperation programmes with Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia. Several projects funded by these programmes will be implemented in cooperation between Norwegian and foreign cultural actors. Arts and Culture Norway cooperates with authorities in the beneficiary states on the development and implementation of several of these programmes. Arts and Culture Norway is the national contact point for these programmes and provides guidance and information to Norwegian and foreign cultural actors on how to find suitable partner institutions. The EEA Grants also fund projects in the field of tangible cultural heritage such as e.g. the renovation and revitalisation of historical buildings. The Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage is the national contact point for these programs.  

Europeana and CEF Digital

Through the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility – Digital, Norway participates in Europeana, a pan-European online platform showcasing art and culture. Europeana serves as a digital hub for millions of books, paintings, films, objects, and archival material. Currently, 8.4 percent of Europeana’s content comes from Norway. The Norwegian Cultural Directorate acts as the national aggregator for Norway’s content on Europeana.

Council of Europe

The aim of cultural cooperation within the Council of Europe is to strengthen knowledge, understanding, and respect for Europe’s cultural diversity and to promote cross-border cultural collaboration. This work is based on conventions such as the 1954 European Cultural Convention and the 2005 Faro Convention on the value of cultural heritage for society.

Norway has also joined the Council of Europe’s Agreement on Cultural Routes, which promotes a shared European identity and heritage and strengthens connections within Europe and with other countries and neighbouring regions. Norway is represented in the agreement’s governing board by Arts and Culture Norway. Norway is also featured in the Council of Europe’s Compendium of Cultural Policies in Europe, which provides comparative insights into member states’ cultural policies.

Norway participates in and contributes to the financing of Eurimages, the Council of Europe’s fund for co-production and distribution of feature films, animation, and documentaries. Eurimages provides grants and loans for co-productions involving producers from at least two member states.

Norway also contributes to the European Audiovisual Observatory, which collects, analyzes, and publishes data and statistics on the media sector in 41 member states and the European Commission. The Observatory aims to increase transparency and understanding of the audiovisual industry in Europe, both economically and legally.

The Ministry of Culture and Equality is represented in various steering and expert committees within the Council of Europe related to culture and media/information.

Norway held the presidency of the Council of Europe in 2004 and will do so again in 2028 (May–November).