"Creative Europe 2014 - 2020" is the European Commission's framework programme for support to the culture and audiovisual sectors.
In the framework of membership and participation in this programme, the call for the countries of the Western Balkans was announced, with no. 39/2019, entitled "Strengthening cultural cooperation and competition of cultural and creative industries in the Western Balkans". Participation in community programs foster cooperation, promote the mobility of artists and creators, as well as the production and distribution of their works.
Various artists, cultural and audiovisual professionals as well as organizations operating in the field of performing arts, visual arts, publishing, film, TV, music, interdisciplinary arts, video game industries, etc. have received financial support.
In 2019 for Culture Sub-Program, for literary translations strand, 2 Albanian applicants were selected for funding respectively:
- "Albas" Editing House 58127.37 Euro
- "Dituria" Editing House 59979.60 Euro
For the Call on "Support for European Cooperation Projects", Ministry of Culture organized an Info-Day on 16 Oct. 2019. There was one application from Albania but it was not selected for funding.
For Media Sub-Program
There was one indirect beneficiary of 25 000 Euro - because of participation of Albanian Movies in the event of "Transilvania International Film Festival 2019" Rumania.
For 2020, there were 300 applicants, of which about 30 applications from institutions and NGOs operating in the field of art and culture from Albania.
Out of 13 winning projects, 7 of them are from Albania: NGOs and public cultural institutions, as follows:
- "POETEKA Association" (2 times winner);
- "Brick";
- "Relationship Center";
- "Vox Baroque";
- "Sparrow Center";
- "National Historical Museum".
During the reporting period, the Ministry organized two information sessions about the program and call 39/2019, for the sub-program of culture and media.
The Ministry of Culture has enabled membership in this programme, specifically, in its two sub-branches (Media and Culture) with the payment of a membership fee of 150,000 euros a year (95,000 Euros for "Media" and 55,000 Euros for "Culture"). This amount has been fully paid for the first year (2015) and in other years until 2020, the EU has and will reimburse this amount by 80%, to ensure a better and more comprehensive access for applicants to these programmes.