Networks of European Cinemas

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals under the Creative Europe Programme, titled "Networks of European Cinemas" (CREA-MEDIA-2025-CINNET). This initiative aims to establish and operate a network of cinemas across Europe with the primary goal of encouraging cinema operators to screen a significant percentage of non-national European films. The program focuses on raising audience interest, particularly among younger viewers, and helping cinemas adapt to evolving industry conditions through innovative audience engagement strategies and partnerships.

The total budget for this call is €15.5 million, which will be allocated to financing collaborative projects that enhance the visibility of European films, especially in regions with limited cinema infrastructure, referred to as "cinema deserts." The call will enable participating cinemas to conduct various activities including the promotion and screening of European films, networking, training, and marketing initiatives aimed at increasing audience reach.

Eligible applicant types include cinema operators, cultural institutions, public-private partnerships, NGOs, and organizations involved in film distribution and audience development. While the call does not explicitly state a consortium requirement, the collaborative nature of the network suggests that partnerships among multiple applicants would be beneficial.

Geographically, the eligibility extends to EU member states, EEA countries, and regions associated with the Creative Europe Programme. The scope also includes specific focus on underserved areas with low screen density. The application process is a single-stage open call, with submissions due on July 16, 2025. Activities to be funded will likely be in the operational and developmental stages, emphasizing the promotion of European films and innovative strategies.

Although the call does not specify individual grant amounts, grants are expected to range from €1 million to potentially higher amounts, depending on the scope of the projects. Co-funding may be required, as is common in EU grants, though specific rates have not been detailed. Applicants are encouraged to refer to the call document and annexes for comprehensive information on eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, application procedures, and all relevant details to ensure adherence to the submission requirements.

In conclusion, this grant opportunity seeks to strengthen European cinema by fostering a collaborative environment that encourages the screening of non-national European films, enhances audience engagement, and promotes sustainable practices within the cinema industry. Successful applicants will contribute to a more vibrant and diverse European film landscape.

The European Commission is offering a call for proposals under the Creative Europe Programme (CREA) titled "Networks of European Cinemas" (CREA-MEDIA-2025-CINNET). This call aims to create and operate a network of cinemas with the objective of encouraging cinema operators to screen a significant proportion of non-national European films through incentives and collaborative projects. It also seeks to raise audience interest in these films, especially among young cinema-goers, and help cinemas adapt to the changing environment by promoting innovative approaches in audience engagement and partnerships. The call further aims to encourage the exchange of best practices and contribute to policy dialogue within the film industry.

The expected results of this call include increasing the audience for non-national European films, reaching new audiences including young people, reinforcing the cinema experience, adjusting business practices for sustainability and inclusion, and fostering innovation in European cinema theatres.

The activities to be funded involve enabling a cinemas' network to conduct networking activities such as information sharing, animation, training, and communication to increase audience reach, especially in areas with low screen density. The call also provides financial support to participating cinemas for actions promoting and screening European films, innovative activities to reach new audiences, harnessing the digital transition with online tools and data applications, adjusting business practices for sustainability and accessibility, and promotion and marketing activities in cooperation with other distribution platforms.

The call was published on 03 December 2024. The deadline for submitting applications is 16 July 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The evaluation period is scheduled from July to December 2025, with information to applicants expected in January 2026, and the signature of the grant agreement in April 2026.

The budget for this topic under CREA Project Grants (CREA-PJG) is 15,500,000 EUR for the year 2025. The call follows a single-stage submission model. The opening date for submissions was 03 April 2025.

Regarding admissibility conditions, proposal page limits and layout are described in the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. The eligibility of countries and other eligible conditions, as well as financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, are also detailed in the call document. The submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are all described in the call document. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is also described in the call document.

Applicants should consult the call document and annexes, which include the call document itself, application form templates (Standard application form CREA MEDIA available in the Submission System), Model Grant Agreements (CREA MGA), CREA Annual Work Programmes, CREA Regulation 2021/818, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, 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.

There are 55 partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

To start the submission process, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service via the submission button, selecting the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement. Existing draft proposals can be accessed through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

For help, applicants can contact their local Creative Europe desk or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, and the Online Manual for a step-by-step guide.

In summary, this EU grant opportunity under the Creative Europe Programme aims to bolster the European film industry by supporting a network of cinemas dedicated to screening and promoting non-national European films. It provides funding for networking activities, audience engagement initiatives, digital transition, sustainability adjustments, and marketing efforts. The call is open to cinema operators and related organizations, encouraging them to collaborate and innovate to increase the reach and impact of European films. The application process involves submitting a detailed proposal through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, adhering to specific guidelines and deadlines. Successful applicants will contribute to a more vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive European cinema landscape.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, the call is targeted towards creating and operating a network of cinemas, so eligible applicants would likely include cinema operators, networks of cinemas, and organizations involved in film promotion and distribution.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a CREA Project Grant (CREA-PJG) and a CREA Action Grant Budget-Based [CREA-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, the aim of creating a network suggests that multiple applicants or a consortium could be beneficial, and there is a partner search function available.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are not explicitly stated in the provided text but are described in the call document. Given that it is a Creative Europe Programme, it is likely that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and potentially other countries participating in the Creative Europe Programme.

Target Sector: The target sector is culture, specifically the film industry, with a focus on cinemas, film distribution, audience development, and the promotion of European films.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The focus is on European films and European cinema theatres, implying a European scope.

Project Stage: The project stage is for creating and operating a network, which suggests a stage of development, implementation, and potentially scale-up. The activities include networking, providing financial support, promoting and screening films, and adjusting business practices, indicating that the projects should be ready for implementation.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the CREA-MEDIA-2025-CINNET call is EUR 15,500,000. The indicative number of grants is not specified.

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 grants to support their activities.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary: This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Creative Europe Programme (CREA) aimed at creating and operating a network of European cinemas. The call, titled "Networks of European Cinemas (CREA-MEDIA-2025-CINNET)", seeks to encourage cinema operators to screen more non-national European films, increase audience interest in these films (especially among young people), adapt to the changing environment through innovative approaches, and foster cross-border collaboration. The call will provide financial support to participating cinemas for activities such as promoting and screening European films, implementing innovative audience engagement strategies, harnessing the digital transition, adjusting business practices for sustainability and inclusion, and conducting promotion and marketing activities. The total budget for this call is EUR 15,500,000. The application deadline is 16 July 2025. The call is a single-stage process, and applications must be submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants are encouraged to consult the call document and other annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and application procedures. The overall objective is to boost the European film industry by increasing the audience for European films, reinforcing the cinema experience, and fostering innovation and sustainability within European cinema theatres.