Artists from of Moldova can access European funds through Creative Europe programme

Artists and cultural institutions of Moldova have access to European funds for cultural projects starting from January 1, with the country's accession to the European Union's Creative Europe programme. To support potential beneficiaries, the authorities will create an information office that will provide assistance in the application process and facilitate the connection of cultural organizations of Moldova with international partners, Culture Minister Cristian Jardan has told MOLDPRES.

‘’The accession of Moldova to Creative Europe is a significant achievement. Our country has become part of the EU's only programme dedicated exclusively to culture. Although Moldova will be eligible to apply, resources remain limited, considering the programme targets all 27 EU member states and 14 other associated states,’’ the official noted.

According to the minister, the greatest opportunity for the country is cross-border cooperation, as the Creative Europe programme encourages joint projects and the exchange of best practices.

‘’Moldova has previously participated in this programme, but with modest results. This time, however, the context is different, including from the perspective of the capacity to develop and implement projects. There are real reasons for optimism that the cultural sector will manage to attract European funds and strengthen its presence on the European cultural scene,’’ Jardan said.

Creative Europe is the European Union's most important funding instrument dedicated to culture, creative industries and the audiovisual sector. The programme has a total budget of 2.44 billion euros for the 2021–2027 period and is managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, the institution responsible for receiving and evaluating applications.

The programme includes two main sub-programmes – MEDIA and Culture – as well as a cross-sectoral component, which facilitates collaboration between different creative sectors and supports the news media sector by promoting media literacy, pluralism and press freedom. Creative Europe is implemented based on a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council.

Moldova has previously participated in this programme, but with modest results. This time, however, the context is different, including from the perspective of the capacity to develop and implement projects, providing real reasons for optimism regarding the attraction of European funds and the strengthening of the country's cultural presence on the European stage.

The European Commission approved the signing and provisional enforcement of the agreement between the European Union and Moldova on the participation in the programme. The document was signed on September 2, 2025, during the visit to Chisinau of the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef.

The agreement gives cultural organizations of Moldova the possibility to participate, on equal terms with those from EU member states, in cross-border cooperation projects, artistic mobility and the promotion of cultural diversity. Signing the document represents the fulfillment of the commitment made during the first EU-Moldova Summit, held in Chisinau in July 2025, and marks a significant step in Moldova’s European integration process.