European Commission Renews its commitment to support the Festival Sector
The European Commission has awarded a multi-annual grant to the European Festivals Association (EFA), ensuring financial support to strengthen the festival sector over the next four years (2025-2028).
EFA has successfully secured two Creative Europe grants under the European Networks and Platforms for Emerging Artists programmes. This funding will provide critical resources for EFA’s work, empowering festivals and supporting emerging talent across Europe and beyond. It will ensure festivals remain dynamic spaces for collaboration, creativity, and growth as well as stay in close dialogue with policy makers making the voice of festivals being heard.
Empowering Festivals Across Europe
Since its foundation in 1952, EFA has represented, connected, and advocated for arts festivals, cities, and regions across Europe and beyond. By supporting local initiatives and giving them an international voice, EFA strengthens advocacy and policy within the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS). This collaborative and bottom-up approach ensures that festival professionals remain competitive, visible, and influential in shaping Europe’s cultural landscape.
European Networks of Cultural and Creative Organisations: Care For and Share the Alliance
The 4-year project "Care for and Share the Alliance" builds on nearly a decade of successful initiatives, including the RISE project and Revealing the Alliance. Shifting from "revealing" to "caring for and sharing," this project will explore the role of arts festivals, cities, and regions in improving living conditions for people and the planet.
The project focuses on increasing accessibility within the festival sector and deepening the capacities of stakeholders. Key activities will include:
- Networking and exchanging best practices
- Providing training and advice for professionals in the festival sector
- Representing and advocating on behalf of festivals
- Contributing to the development of cultural policies
European Platform for the Promotion of Emerging Artists: European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists - EFFEA
The European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) will continue its work for another four years. EFFEA will offer 50 annual grants for artistic residencies, engaging 50 emerging artists and 150 festivals in joint programming each year. The Fund will continue to address the needs of artists and festivals by developing tools and fostering collaboration between emerging talents, festival organisers, and audiences across Europe.
Between 2021 and 2024, EFFEA supported over 150 emerging artists (individuals and groups) and 470 festivals across 36 countries and 18 artistic disciplines. Beyond the numbers, EFFEA has proven essential in providing emerging artists with the time, space, and support they need to develop their creative work. Through these residencies, artists build lasting relationships with festivals and audiences, ensuring opportunities for sustainable collaboration beyond singular presentations. Through their unique perspectives, EFFEA Artists bring forth contemporary and pressing issues to audiences.