Moldova signs Agreement on Accession to European Union's Creative Europe Programme

The Agreement on Accession to the European Union's Creative Europe programme  was signed at the National Art Museum from Chisinau today, in the presence of  Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan and European Commissioner for Inter-Generational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef.

The document provides Moldovan artists and cultural organizations with access to European funding and international projects starting from January 1, 2026. Through this accession, the country's cultural and creative sector aligns with European standards, benefiting from new opportunities for cross-border cooperation, artistic mobility and promotion of cultural diversity.

‘’The signing of the Agreement on Accession to the European Union's Creative Europe Programme is not just a formality, but a strong commitment. It is a declaration that Moldova affirms its natural place in the European family - where culture comes to life, creativity becomes strength and innovation is put at the service of people,’’ Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan said.





For his part, European Commissioner Glenn Micallef emphasized the essential role of the culture in democracy.

'Today marks an important moment for Moldova, but also for its European commitment. It is a moment that shows people that they are part of this process. For us, culture is not a luxury - culture is a necessity for community’s life. It is an essential component of the European democracy. Culture reflects the values we all share in Europe - respect for good, democracy, and freedom,’’ noted Glenn Micallef.





Secretary of State at the Ministry of Culture Andrei Chistol told MOLDPRES how cultural institutions and artists can access the programme and the steps for projects’  evaluation.

‘’The people and cultural institutions of Moldova will be able to access the programme  as of January 1, 2026. The programme includes over 100 annual calls in various fields - literature, mobility, theater, cinematography or environment. For example, soon the call for literary translations will be launched, through which Moldovan publishers will be able to propose the translation of local authors into European languages or vice versa. Cooperation projects will include diverse activities - exhibitions, mobilities, artistic residencies, theater productions etc. - and can be implemented together with 3-5 other organizations from the European Union. All projects are collaborative, not unilateral, and involve partnerships between organizations from at least three different EU countries. The proposals will be examined in Brussels and selection will be based on the criteria set by the program,’’ said Andrei Chistol.

Major benefits include access to a European budget dedicated to culture, support for promoting literary works, participation in European cultural networks and platforms, as well as the possibility for cities of the country - including Chisinau, Balti, Cahul, or Ungheni - to compete for the title of European Capital of Culture.