Open topic: Impact-driven research on realising the full potential of cultural heritage, arts and cultural and creative industries

This summary outlines a significant Horizon Europe funding opportunity titled HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-HERITAGE-09-two-stage, which focuses on impact-driven research to maximize the potential of cultural heritage, arts, and cultural and creative industries (CCIs). The total funding available for this initiative is €20 million, with project contributions ranging from €2 million to €4 million, aimed at funding approximately five projects.

Eligible applicants include a diverse range of entities such as research organizations, universities, cultural institutions, and civil society organizations involved in relevant research. The geographic scope primarily includes EU member states and associated countries, but it also allows for participation from selected non-EU countries under specific provisions.

The project is at the research and innovation stage, emphasizing the development of transformative knowledge that leads to real-world applications and societal impact. The call encourages collaborative proposals through a consortium model, which is standard in Horizon Europe RIA projects. The nature of funding is structured as a lump sum grant, which simplifies financial management for beneficiaries.

The application process consists of two stages. In the first stage, proposals must undergo a blind evaluation where applicants cannot disclose their identities. The first stage deadline is set for May 4, 2027, with the second stage deadline on September 30, 2027.

The call aims to foster innovative projects that can drive economic growth, enhance social cohesion, support sustainable tourism, counter illicit trafficking of cultural goods, and strengthen the European identity. It targets specific areas like creative startups, the impact of AI on creativity, and circular economy practices in the cultural sector.

Although success rates are not explicitly provided, historical data suggests a competitive landscape for funding under Horizon Europe. Co-funding is not mandatory, as projects typically operate under a 100% EU funding model for eligible costs.

The overarching goal is to turn cultural heritage and CCIs into vital components of Europe's economic and social fabric, thereby reinforcing European values and identities. This opportunity invites forward-thinking initiatives that transcend descriptive research and seek innovative, actionable outcomes.

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals under the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society pillar, specifically targeting innovative research on European Cultural Heritage and Cultural and Creative Industries. The call aims to unlock the full potential of cultural heritage, arts, and cultural and creative industries (CCIs) as drivers of sustainable innovation and a European sense of belonging. The call is structured as a two-stage HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (RIA) and uses a lump sum grant approach.

The expected outcome of projects funded under this call is the development, verification, and practical application of new groundbreaking findings and methods that significantly contribute to realizing the full potential of cultural heritage, arts, and/or CCIs as drivers of sustainable innovation and/or a European sense of belonging.

The scope of the call is broad, inviting applicants to design research and innovation initiatives that address the expected outcome. The focus can be limited to specific areas or issues or be broader, but the research should be impact-driven and move beyond descriptive studies towards transformative, actionable knowledge. Proposals should build on previous research, networks, or platforms and explore new areas without duplicating already funded activities.

The call emphasizes the strategic importance of Europe's diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage and dynamic CCIs. These assets enrich lives, foster social cohesion and societal resilience, and contribute to a sense of belonging. They also underpin a growing economy and contribute to Europe's overall competitiveness and future prosperity.

Research and Innovation (R&I) activities under this call will be aligned with the main principles and objectives of the Culture Compass for Europe and support objectives such as circular and just fashion and textiles value-chains, social cohesion and resilience through arts, design and cultural practices and creative entrepreneurial ecosystems for regional development.

Specific areas of focus for R&I actions include:

Boosting the innovation-driving role of the CCIs.
Supporting creative startups.
Examining the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on creativity and CCIs.
Ensuring the fair deployment of new technologies.
Leveraging the contributions of artistic intelligence and soft skills.
Boosting a circular economy.
Promoting global partnerships in cultural policies and CCIs.
Boosting the role of culture, the arts, and creative industries in contributing to well-being and the social economy.
Exploring and strengthening the role of culture, heritage, and CCIs in shaping the technologies of the future.
Safeguarding intangible heritage and linguistic diversity.
Promoting sustainable cultural tourism.
Countering illicit trafficking of cultural goods.

Projects funded under this call are expected to leverage data and services available through European Research Infrastructures, such as the European Open Science Cloud and the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), as well as data from relevant European Data Spaces. Projects should also consider integrating their results in the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH) and ensure that the data produced is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).

The Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), particularly the KIC “EIT Culture and Creativity”, may contribute to actions under this destination. Applicants are also encouraged to consult funding opportunities in other parts of the Horizon Europe Work Programme, including those offered under the European Innovation Council.

International cooperation is encouraged to maximize the impacts of R&I under this call.

The expected impact of proposals under this call is to realize the full potential of cultural heritage, arts, and cultural and creative industries and sectors as drivers of both sustainable innovation and a European sense of belonging through a continuous engagement with society, citizens, and economic sectors.

The call involves a two-stage submission process. In the first stage, applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation must not disclose their organization names, acronyms, logos, or names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their application.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme. The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results.

The call provides several resources for applicants, including:

Application form templates available in the Submission System.
Evaluation form templates.
HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA), including the Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions, including a detailed budget table.
Additional documents such as the HE Main Work Programme and relevant EU regulations and decisions.
Online Manual and FAQ on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Research Enquiry Service.
National Contact Points (NCPs).
Enterprise Europe Network.
IT Helpdesk.
European IPR Helpdesk.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment.
Partner Search tools.

The budget for the HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-DEMOCRACY-09-two-stage topic is 22,000,000 EUR, with an indicative contribution of 2,000,000 to 3,700,000 EUR per grant and an expected 6 grants to be awarded. The budget for the HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-HERITAGE-09-two-stage topic is 20,000,000 EUR, with an indicative contribution of 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR per grant and an expected 5 grants to be awarded. The budget for the HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-TRANSFO-09-two-stage topic is 16,000,000 EUR, with an indicative contribution of around 3,200,000 EUR per grant and an expected 5 grants to be awarded.

The planned opening date for the call is 02 March 2027. The deadline for the first stage is 04 May 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time, and the deadline for the second stage is 30 September 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call is a significant opportunity for researchers and innovators to contribute to the advancement of European cultural heritage and cultural and creative industries. It encourages groundbreaking research and innovation that can drive sustainable innovation, foster a European sense of belonging, and contribute to the overall prosperity and competitiveness of Europe. The call emphasizes the importance of collaboration, data sharing, and the integration of new technologies to achieve its goals.

This opportunity is about funding research and innovation projects that explore how cultural heritage, the arts, and creative industries can be used to drive positive change in Europe. Think of it as an invitation to come up with new ideas and methods that can help these sectors become engines of sustainable growth and strengthen the feeling of belonging among Europeans. The European Union is looking for projects that go beyond simply describing the current state of affairs and instead offer practical solutions and transformative knowledge. They want to see projects that build on existing research and networks, and that explore new and innovative approaches. The goal is to unlock the full potential of Europe's cultural assets to create a more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to a wide range of applicants including, but not limited to, SMEs, multinational companies, research institutions, universities, startups, entrepreneurs, and other relevant organizations involved in cultural heritage, arts, and cultural and creative industries. The program particularly encourages the participation of dynamic small, medium, and micro enterprises, as well as young people. The Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), in particular the KIC “EIT Culture and Creativity”, may contribute to actions under this destination, and may as appropriate be considered by applicants.

Funding Type: The primary funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) under the Horizon Europe program. The eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the encouragement of international cooperation and the complex nature of research and innovation actions suggest that consortia are likely to be favored. The partner search announcements further indicate the possibility of forming consortia.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic focus is Europe, including EU member states and associated countries. However, the opportunity also mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. International cooperation is encouraged whenever relevant.

Target Sector: The target sectors are cultural heritage, arts, and cultural and creative industries (CCIs). This includes tangible and intangible cultural heritage, creative startups, sustainable cultural tourism, circular economy in fashion and textiles, and the impact of artificial intelligence on creativity.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on Europe, including EU member states and associated countries. There is also mention of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made provisions for funding their participants.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on research and innovation actions, implying projects that are in the research, development, validation, and demonstration phases. The emphasis is on impact-driven research that moves beyond descriptive studies towards transformative, actionable knowledge.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic:
HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-DEMOCRACY-09-two-stage: EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 3,700,000
HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-HERITAGE-09-two-stage: EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000
HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-TRANSFO-09-two-stage: Around EUR 3,200,000

Application Type: The application type is a two-stage open call. The first stage proposals of the topic will be evaluated blindly.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to support their research and innovation actions.

Application Stages: The application process involves two stages. The first stage proposals will be evaluated blindly.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants is provided for each topic:
HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-DEMOCRACY-09-two-stage: 6 grants
HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-HERITAGE-09-two-stage: 5 grants
HORIZON-CL2-2027-02-TRANSFO-09-two-stage: 5 grants

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

Summary:
This Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to unlock the full potential of cultural heritage, arts, and cultural and creative industries (CCIs) as drivers of sustainable innovation and European identity. The call invites applicants to design groundbreaking research and innovation projects that contribute to new findings and methods in these sectors. The focus is on impact-driven research that leads to transformative and actionable knowledge. Projects should align with the Culture Compass for Europe and support objectives such as circular economy, social cohesion, and creative entrepreneurial ecosystems. The opportunity encourages international cooperation and the participation of various entities, including SMEs, multinational companies, research institutions, and startups. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process involves a two-stage submission and evaluation. The call is structured around three main topics: Democracy, Heritage, and Transformation, each with a specific budget and expected outcomes. The overall goal is to ensure Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, strengthen societies, and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.