EU Funding Opportunities

There is a vast array of EU funding possibilities available for museums in Europe. These different funding programmes support museums from the local to the international level – either as big cross-border consortia or for specific activities. NEMO helps museums to navigate their way through the EU funding maze. Below are some of the most prominent EU funding programmes that are relevant for museums.

NEMO toolkit on EU funding

This toolkit helps museums, museum associations and other cultural organisations across Europe to better access EU funding and increase their international activities. The toolkit gives an overview of the benefits of international cooperation and the existing funding opportunities. With the toolkit, we want to increase the number of museums participating in EU funding programmes.

Read the toolkit

Guide on EU funding 2021-2027

The image is organised in 4 triangles. On the left is an image of a child with their back to the camera, painting on a wall. On the right is an image of a person painting on a canvas and looking towards the camera. The triangle on the top reads "The CulturEU funding guide" while the one on the bottom is purple and includes the logo of the European Commission.

The interactive guide CulturEU, published by the European Commission, maps 75 funding opportunities available for the cultural and creative sectors. It helps direct cultural actors to appropriate funding opportunities based on a quick questionnaire about their sector, type of organisation and the kind of support they are looking for.

Access the guide

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EU funding programmes

The most prominent EU funding programmes relevant for museums are listed below.

We recommend that you also seek out the national contact points, which are able to provide you with additional information in the local language.

Creative Europe

Creative Europe is the EU funding programme that supports the cultural and audiovisual sectors.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €2.4 billion
     

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This photograph shows a group of children. Some of them grab art supplies, while others already paint on a white wall. © ZOOM Kindermuseum, Image: J.J. Kucek

Erasmus+

Five people reading an ancient text that is rolled out in front of them. © Flemish Art Collection-SummerCourse 2019

Erasmus+ is the EU education and training programme. It also supports cultural heritage institutions to develop educational programmes and supports learning through and with cultural heritage.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €26 billion


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Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the EU research and innovation programme that includes support for the innovation potential of cultural heritage in order to protect and preserve it.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €95.5 billion


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This photo shows a person wearing VR-Glasses. They are photographed slightly from below and bathed into red light. © Image: Samuel Zeller

Digital Europe

Four people are sitting in a gallery space. All four are wearing goggles and headphones and they are experiencing some kind of virtual reality art. © Image: Lucrezia Carnelos

Aims at improving and fostering the digital capacities and to expand and facilitate the access and use of digital technologies. Two of the five key areas are of particular interest to cultural organisations, namely "Deployment and accessibility of digital technologies" and "Digital skills".

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €7.588 billion

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Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values

Promotes and protects fundamental rights, rule of law and democracy inside the EU. CERV consists of four pillar and especially the strand "Citizens' engagement and participation" is of interest for museums and museum organisations.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €1.55 billion


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Two people are examining a statue of a child, standing between them.

Asylum and Migration Fund

A boy crawls through a tunnel of mirrors. © ZOOM Kindermuseum, Image: J.J.Kucek

The EU’s support in the field of asylum, integration and migration. A large part of this funding is managed by the individual Member States, but a smaller part is administered by the European Commission, thereby facilitating transnational projects.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €8.705 billion

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EU Structural Funds

The EU Structural Funds aim to reduce regional disparities in income, wealth and opportunities. The European Social Fund+ (ESF+) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) belong to the structural funds and both are managed nationally by the EU Member States.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget of ESF+: €88 billion
  • Budget of ERDF: €226.9 billion

 

This photograph depicts a person showing to children how to handle dough. They stand outside behind a wooden trough. © Hungarian Open Air Museum

Interreg

© Image: Should Wang

As part of the European cohesion policies, Interreg aims at bridging the gap between Europe and its citizens by improving the social cohesion and quality of life.

  • Funding period: 2021-2027
  • Budget: €7.95 billion

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