Collaborate to Innovate

OBJECTIVES

Launched in 2021 with the financial support of the Creative Europe MEDIA programme of the European Commission, this initiative is built around three core ideas:

• INNOVATION, recognising that new approaches, practices and processes were necessary to deal with new realities in terms of culture, audience, society, technology and industry.

• COLLABORATION, in the sense of partnership and network building within Europa Cinemas and beyond.

• SUSTAINABILITY, meaning both environmental responsibility but also innovation that can be replicated and shared for efficient and effective, long-term development across the network and beyond.

This funding scheme has also been inspired by Europa Cinemas “Audience Development & Innovation” labs and workshops, for shared innovations and best practice.

______

WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES DOES COLLABORATE TO INNOVATE SUPPORT?

Collaborate to Innovate aims to support innovative and collective approaches and strategies to develop audiences for European productions and to improve the circulation and diversity of European films.

Projects need to clearly demonstrate how they are innovative in their specific geographic and operating contexts. New initiatives are particularly encouraged. Existing approaches with a new innovative dimension (for example, taking place in a different national context or enhancing an existing approach) will also be considered. Europa Cinemas' financial contribution amounts to a maximum of €120,000 per project.

The “Collaborate to Innovate” scheme is open to new ideas that further the goals of increasing audience outreach and innovative cinema-going experience. Therefore, it does not intend to adopt a too prescriptive framework for projects it supports.

“Collaborate to Innovate” will provide support in the following broad areas:

• Engagement, education and audience awareness of diverse European film to increase demand for European films,

• Sustainable and inclusive audience development exploiting all opportunities, including digital technology.

• Sustainable models, processes and training to increase access to European film and to enhance and innovate the cinema going experience.

______