European mini-slate development

The European Mini-Slate Development (CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE) is a funding opportunity under the Creative Europe Programme aimed at supporting independent European audiovisual production companies, particularly those in countries with lower audiovisual capacities. The funding type is a lump sum grant, with a total budget of 7 million euros available for 2026. This initiative is structured as a single-stage application process, open to all eligible independent production companies within EU member states.

Eligible applicants are independent audiovisual production companies not majority controlled by broadcasters, especially those from Low Audiovisual Capacity countries categorized into Group A and Group B, which include nations like Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, and Poland. This opportunity targets the development stage of projects, enabling the creation of a slate of 2 to 3 audiovisual works, including animation, creative documentaries, and fiction. Applicants may also include short films directed by emerging talent.

Projects developed should have potential for wide circulation across European and international markets. The application must be submitted electronically by the deadline of September 17, 2026. The funding is provided on a co-financing basis, with a maximum of 70% covered by the grant, meaning applicants must secure at least 30% of the development budget.

The program emphasizes high creative value, cultural diversity, and cross-border cooperation among companies, encouraging the development of marketing strategies from the outset to enhance audience reach. Sustainability, gender balance, and inclusivity in production practices are also prioritized. The evaluation period will run from September 2026 to February 2027, with grant agreements expected to be signed by June 2027.

In summary, this grant opportunity aims to bolster the European audiovisual industry's competitiveness by supporting the development of diverse audiovisual works from independent producers, fostering collaboration, and encouraging innovative content creation with significant market potential.

The European mini-slate development support, under the Creative Europe Programme (CREA), aims to bolster the competitiveness of European independent production companies and enhance their market presence. The call is CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE. It falls under the CREA-LS CREA Lump Sum Grants action type, utilizing the CREA Lump Sum Grant [CREA-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement.

The call seeks to increase the capacity of audiovisual producers to develop projects with the potential for broad European and international circulation, and to facilitate European and international co-production. It also aims to provide an entry point for emerging talent by enabling them to direct a short film supported by experienced companies.

The expected results include a stronger position for selected companies in European and international markets, and increased quality, feasibility, cross-border potential, and market value of supported European works.

The activities to be funded involve providing support to independent European production companies to develop a slate of 2 to 3 audiovisual works, which can be fiction, animation, or creative documentary. This approach is intended to reduce risks for production companies and enhance their ability to attract and retain talent. The mini-slate development support will focus on developing a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 works for commercial exploitation through cinema release, television broadcasting, commercial exploitation on digital platforms, or a multi-platform environment. These works must fall into the categories of animation, creative documentary, or fiction. Applicants have the option to include a short film by emerging talent in their slate.

The program aims to fund audiovisual production companies to develop works with high creative value, cultural diversity, and wide cross-border exploitation potential. Companies are encouraged to develop marketing and distribution strategies from the beginning of the development phase to improve their potential to reach audiences at both European and international levels. The call also promotes greater cooperation, including co-development, between operators from different countries participating in the MEDIA Strand. It seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of European audiovisual production companies by consolidating their capacity for investment in the development phase and expanding their activities and innovation capacity to explore new fields and markets.

Special attention will be given to applications that present adequate strategies to ensure a more sustainable and environmentally-respectful industry, as well as to ensure gender balance, inclusion, diversity, and representativeness.

Regarding conditions, the admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout are described in the call document and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. The eligible countries and other eligible conditions are also detailed in the call document. The financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in the call document. The submission and evaluation processes are described in the call document. The evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and processes are described in the call document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in the call document. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in the call document.

Key dates include: Publication of the call on 4 December 2025, a deadline for submitting applications on 17 September 2026 at 17:00 (Brussels time), an evaluation period from September 2026 to February 2027, information to applicants in March 2027, and signature of the grant agreement in June 2027.

The call document and annexes include the call document itself. Application form templates include the Standard application form (CREA MEDIA), which is available in the Submission System, a Calculator (CREA MEDIA LS DEVSLATE and DEVMINISLATE), a Creative dossier (CREA MEDIA CODEV, DEVSLATE and DEVMINISLATE), Information on independence and ownership control (CREA MEDIA), and Information on language of submission documents (CREA MEDIA). Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the CREA MGA and the Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include CREA Annual Work Programmes, CREA Regulation 2021/818, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for the CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE call is 7,000,000 EUR for the year 2026. It is a single-stage application process, with a planned opening date of 8 April 2026 and a deadline of 17 September 2026.

The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header. For general information on the program and the call, applicants can contact their local Creative Europe desk or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency at EACEA-MEDIA-MINISLATE@ec.europa.eu. Additional support is available through the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for submission of proposals and the IT Helpdesk for technical issues. An Online Manual provides a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this European Union grant opportunity, CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE, aims to strengthen the European audiovisual industry by supporting independent production companies in developing slates of audiovisual works. It encourages high creative value, cultural diversity, and wide cross-border exploitation potential, while also promoting emerging talent and sustainable industry practices. The call provides funding and resources to help companies develop and market their projects effectively, with a focus on cinema, television, digital platforms, and multi-platform environments. The application process involves submitting a comprehensive proposal that meets specific admissibility criteria and aligns with the program's objectives.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type is independent European production companies.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a CREA Lump Sum Grant.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to be open to single applicants, specifically independent European production companies. The text mentions cooperation and co-development, but it does not explicitly state that a consortium is required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on European countries, as the call targets European independent production companies. The program aims to support projects with the potential to circulate throughout Europe and beyond, suggesting an international outlook, but the primary beneficiaries are European.

Target Sector: The target sector is the audiovisual industry, specifically focusing on the development of animation, creative documentary, and fiction works. It also touches on culture, as the aim is to fund work with high creative value and cultural diversity.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the call is focused on European countries participating in the MEDIA Strand.

Project Stage: The project stage is development. The call supports the development of a slate of audiovisual works.

Funding Amount: The total budget for this topic is EUR 7,000,000. The indicative number of grants is not specified in the provided text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not specified in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This is a European Union Creative Europe Programme (CREA) call for proposals aimed at supporting the development of mini-slates of audiovisual works by independent European production companies. The call, titled "European mini-slate development (CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE)," seeks to foster the competitiveness and economic weight of these companies in the European and international markets. The program provides funding to independent European production companies to develop a slate of 2 to 3 audiovisual works, which can include fiction, animation, or creative documentary projects. Applicants have the option to include a short film by emerging talent in their slate. The objective is to support projects with high creative value, cultural diversity, and wide cross-border exploitation potential. The call encourages companies to develop marketing and distribution strategies from the outset to improve their potential to reach audiences at a European and international level. Greater cooperation and co-development between operators from different countries participating in the MEDIA Strand are also encouraged. Special attention will be given to applications presenting adequate strategies to ensure a more sustainable and more environmentally-respectful industry and to ensure gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness. The call operates on a lump sum grant basis, with a total budget of EUR 7,000,000. The call is scheduled to open on 8 April 2026, with a deadline for submitting applications on 17 September 2026. The evaluation period will take place from September 2026 to February 2027, with information to applicants provided in March 2027, and the signature of grant agreements in June 2027. The application process is single-stage, and the submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header. Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions and consult the call document and annexes for detailed information on admissibility conditions, eligible countries, evaluation criteria, and the legal and financial setup of the grants.