1. Pierre GODIN, Policy Analyst
EU Cohesion Policy (CP): Funding opportunities for cultural & creative sectors
Pierre GODIN, Policy Analyst
Unit 'Thematic Coordination, Innovation', European Commission, DG Regional Policy, Brussels
Standard presentation

2. Structure of Presentation
Basic principles of Cohesion policy
Links culture and regional development
Examples of support
How to apply for support?

3. Cohesion Policy Framework
Legal base: Articles of the Treaty establishing the European Communities
Reduce regional disparities by promoting sustainable & competitive development
Community Strategic Guidelines for Cohesion Policy for The priorities are:
Making EU regions more attractive places to invest and work,
Improving knowledge and innovation for growth,
Creating more and better jobs.
(policy objective) We, in REGIO, administer a policy: the Cohesion Policy that has funds allocated for its implementation. Cohesion Policy's aim is to reduce regional disparities by promoting their sustainable and competitive development
(present policy context) Priorities of the CP were established in consultation (started in ) with MS taking form in one document: the CSG that was adopted by the Council (in 2006). The guidelines reflect a balanced policy mix to achieve sustainable growth, competitiveness & employment. This is translated into (focus CP resources on) three priorities: the improvement of the attractiveness of EU regions and cities (accessibility, quality of services, respect of environment), competitive growth (innovation, entrepreneurship, knowledge economy) and creation of more & better jobs.

4. Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 Total budget: € 347 billion
In the period , cohesion policy will benefit from 35.7% of the total EU budget or billion euros (current prices).
81.54% for Convergence
15.95% for Regional Competitiveness and Employment
2.52% for European Territorial Cooperation
Total budget: € 347 billion

5. Cohesion Policy: principles & methods
Concentration of funds on least developed regions, not excluding richer regions in richer countries (debate!)
Supporting Lisbon strategy for competitiveness, growth and jobs (earmarking / categorisation)
Supporting EU 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Method:
shared / decentralised management (no direct funding),
programming, reporting & evaluation, transparency,
partnership principle (horizontal & vertical),
State aid rules fully apply
Concentration:
Convergence regions (ex-Obj 1) covering 35% of EU population – almost 82% of budget (up from 72%)
Competitiveness and Employment regions (ex-Obj 2 + 3) – almost 15%
European Territorial Cooperation (ex-INTERREG) – 2.4%:
Cross-border
Transnational
Interregional ESPON, INTERACT, INTERREG, URBACT
All designed to make sure that the available funds are used to the maximum – that the funding we have is used well.
earmarking targets of “Lisbon expenditure” at 60% (65%) for the Convergence Objective and 75% (82%) for the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective
EGTC:
EGTC members can be: Member States , regional or local authorities , associations , any other public body
The EGTC is unique in the sense that it enables public authorities of various Member States to team up and deliver joint services, without requiring a prior international agreement to be signed and ratified by national parliaments.
The law applicable for the interpretation and application of the convention is that of the Member State in which the official EGTC headquarters are located.

6. Culture & Cohesion Policy Priorities
Cultural & creative sectors can contribute to the economic development of the regions:
They play a multiple role in sustainable local development, as catalyst, for attracting tourist, creating innovative clusters and improving intercultural communication
They can foster innovation, including in other sectors of the economy, in particular for the take off of ICTs.
For these reasons, Cohesion Policy can support cultural and creative sectors under different types of expenditures.

7. Cohesion Policy support to culture
Under the category “Culture”, as a driver for development:
all regions: promotion of cultural assets (tourism …),
Convergence regions: also possible cultural infrastructure,
Under other categories, Cohesion policy can support cultural and creative industries, e.g. :
RTD-I, entrepreneurship, support services to SMEs and cooperation based on networks and clusters,
ICT, including e-services to SMEs, digitisation of and e-access to cultural assets for the citizens,
urban regeneration (integrated projects),
improvement of human and social capital.
CP support is especially relevant for activities such as design, publishing, advertising, medias and ICT-related industries.

8. Fields for Regional Policy intervention (ERDF)
Culture
Tourism
Transport
Urban
ICT
Potentially relevant for culture
Biggest RTD&Innovation spenders in absolute terms:
PL €14.2 billion 4. DE €8.4 billion
IT € 9.6 billion 5. CZ €6 billion
ES 9 billion 6. PT € 5.2 billion
Cross-border & interregional: € 2.1 billion
Potential for creativity & innovation: 89 billion Euro (?)
RTD & innovation 24% 64 billion
Information society 5.6% 15 billion
Culture 2.2% 6 billion
Adaptability of workers and firms 0.3% 0.9 billion
Urban and rural regeneration 3.8% 10 billion
Tourism 2.4% 6 billion
Strenghtening institutional capacity at national, regional and local level 0.6% billlion
RDT &
innovation

9. Culture / Regional development strategies
Success factors (Cultural / Regional development)
Mainstreaming culture in regional development strategies, with a solid political consensus (governance),
Partnership between the national and regional authorities in charge of the different public policies such as economic development, employment, higher education and culture.
Partnership with representatives from the private sectors: SMEs, networks / clusters, civil society (associations).
Combining regional, national and EU funding sources.
Risks of failure
If the relevant regional actors are not involved in preparing the regional strategy, then, at operational level, they will probably not take the ownership of this strategy, and its implementation will not be a real success.

10. Some ERDF examples (1) URBACT: Culture & urban regeneration,
Manchester: Northern Quarter
1993: local partners come together to discuss regeneration of a marginalised area
1995: study recommending to improve public spaces and attract SMEs
2000: establishment of a creative industries development service
2003: new study recommending support to growing cultural industries sector
Today: a magnet for dynamic companies including design studios, companies involved in TV & films, recording studios and music shops
Quite good from a marginalised areas !
Marginalised area
1993: local partners come together
1995: study receommending regeneration through attracting SMEs and improve public spaces
One of the projects was a public art scheme.
Since 2000: Establishment of a creative industries development service
2003: new study receommending support to growing cultural industries sector
Now a magnet for dynamic companies including design studios, companies involved in television and film, recording studios and specialist music shops.
CULTURAL REGENERATION BY SUPPORTING ORGANIC GROWTH AND PARTNERSHIP
Objectives: to promote and manage regeneration of a declining inner-city area by supporting existing cultural and creative initiatives.
Actions: a) the Northern Quarter – a centrally located, declining former commercial and trade district in Manchester - was redeveloped in the nineties following an initiative of local businesses and residents;
b) small businesses were attracted by low rents;
c) local businesses and residents created the ‘Northern Quarter Association’;
d) the City Council commissioned a regeneration study;
e) the growth of creative industries in the quarter has been managed and stimulated as part of the Creative Industries Development Service;
f) realised projects have included a public art scheme, footpath and street-lighting improvements and the development of ‘affordable’ housing;
f) activities with a clear “cultural production” profile have been combined with retail activity and accommodation to ensure a diversity of uses;
g) the Northern Quarter continues to be a magnet for design studios, broadcasting and film companies, recording studios and music shops.
Key Lessons: partnerships including all agents concerned with the regeneration of an area can create a cultural district to benefit the local economy
Case studies on the role of cultural activities & creative industries in the regeneration of European cities

11. Some ERDF examples (2) URBACT:
Culture and urban regeneration: Brno (CZ), Vañkovka Galerie
One of the first brownfield developments in the new MS:
a commercial centre, also housing non commercial activities and associations organising events, exhibitions and concerts
One of the first brownfield developments in central and eastern Europe
Commercial centre, but also attention given to non-commercial activities
Also houses an organisation organising events and concerts
The Vankovka Mall is the biggest retailing development in Brno (CZ) and one of the first brown fields redeveloped in the Middle and Eastern Europe.
Situated in the city centre between the central railway station and directly next to the interregional b us terminal. The shopping area of the Galerie Vankovka is m2, which spreads across two levels and comprises 130 shops.
Essential is its support of non-commercial activities. The Gallery houses the civil organization of Vankovk a which takes an active part in organizing various exhibitions and concerts.
Another civil organization is Prah that in its project „Kavarna Na puli cesty“ (A Café on half way) offers opportunity to people with mental disorder to join in a normal life. Informational and consulting centre for Youth called YMCA has its centre here as well.

12. An interactive project …
Some ERDF examples (3)
An interactive project …
Sonic Studio
(Piteå, Sweden)
… combining:
a climbing wall,
computer games,
music applications,
therapies adaptable to disable people.
With ERDF financial support, the town of Piteå[1] in northern Sweden tapped into the field of sound and music in search of new opportunities for boosting local development. Seeking to diversify from more traditional industries, Piteå has invested since 2003 in an entrepreneurship stimulating environment around an existing School of Music in a partnership with the Swedish national Interactive Institute. By mid-2007, the Studio has scored a number of successes. The most significant is DigiWall[2], a combined interactive climbing wall and computer game, and music applications in healthcare for therapeutic healing where the applications are adaptable to the patients actual physical status, etc.
The Sonic Studio initiative focuses on sound and music in digital media conducting research in two main areas: the communicative aspects of sound and music in interactive environments, and the development of methods for measuring characteristics of sound and music. The Studio’s research is conducted in an interdisciplinary field and the researchers represent disciplines such as sound design, music pedagogy, music psychology, music sociology, sound techniques, media techniques and human-computer interaction. The Sonic Studio is owned by the Interactive Institute[3]. This information technology research institute is a part of the Swedish Institute of Computer Science group[4], which is a non-profit research organisation owned by Swedish industry and the Swedish government.
The studio collaborates both with traditional industry and more contemporary industry such as information and communications technologies, culture and media etc., and is active regionally, nationally and internationally. The studio explores and develops sound as a technical component in learning, for improved health, in developing working environment in industry, etc. The studio is an interesting case since it combines technological research with research on artistry and sound. The research and its results are novel and are used in innovative ways in new areas.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

13. Examples related to digitisation
Integrated virtual library in Lithuania:
for developing a databank,
for providing a new public e-service,
over 3,500,000 digital images,
€ 2.8 million funded by ERDF.
Hellenic Information Society Programme:
for preserving, giving access and disseminating,
over 200 projects of digitisation, websites, etc.
€ 267 million of EU funding
Film library in Brittany (France)
for preserving and disseminating Breton films,
Internet access to digitised films (with notes),
€ 175,000 funded by ERDF.

14. Do not contact the Commission!
How to apply
Do not contact the Commission!
1. Check relevant operational programmes:
Summaries & links to regional / national web-sites: ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/atlas2007/index_en.htm
Check full text of OP & indications on implementation methods on regional / national web-sites
2. Contact Managing Authority:
See contact details in OP summaries & web-sites
3. Apply with Managing Authority, if possible:
Depends on the budget planning, timing and implementation methods chosen by the Managing Authority
Thank you for your attention! Questions?