Creative Innovation Lab
Creative Europe · CREA-CROSS-2027-INNOVLAB
Innovative tools and solutions linking the audiovisual sector with music, books or museums, including AI, virtual worlds and greener practices.
What is this call about?
The call funds innovative tools, models and solutions that link the audiovisual sector with the music, book or museum sectors, including AI, virtual worlds and greener practices. Single public or private legal entities and consortia from Creative Europe participating countries can apply.
What does this call fund?
Scope
The call supports the design, development and/or spread of innovative tools, models or solutions that apply to the audiovisual sector (compulsory, including gaming) and to at least one of the music, book or museum sectors. It aims to encourage cooperation between these sectors to support their environmental transition, competitiveness, and the circulation, visibility, discoverability, availability, diversity and audience of European content across borders. It also aims to help the sectors adapt to the opportunities of artificial intelligence, in line with the EU Apply AI Strategy.
Topics
Projects must focus on one or more of the following:
- Virtual worlds as a new environment to promote European content, renew audiences and strengthen competitiveness.
- Innovative business tools for production, financing, distribution or promotion enabled by new technology (AI, big data, blockchain, virtual worlds, NFT), in particular rights management and monetisation with fair remuneration for creators, and data collection and analysis for content creation and audience development.
- Greener practices to reduce the environmental impact of the audiovisual and other cultural sectors, in line with the Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus.
Expectations for proposals
Applications must clearly demonstrate the cross-sectoral approach, how it will be implemented and its expected benefits. They should present strategies for a more sustainable industry and for gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness. The participation of business incubators and accelerators is encouraged. Attracting private investment and own investment is emphasised, and the ability to request EU funding below the authorised 80% will be assessed.
Ineligible activities and costs
Multimedia art projects and installations, immersive experiences used in retail, promotional and institutional works, reference and how-to works, e-books, e-learning platforms and several types of TV programmes and documentaries are not eligible. Costs for content production or development and for organising cultural events are not eligible.
Eligible costs
The grant is budget-based (actual costs with unit cost and flat-rate elements). Indirect costs are covered at a flat rate of 7% of eligible direct costs. Financial support to third parties is allowed, normally up to €60,000 per third party, through open calls with a clear European dimension.
Expected outcomes
Greater competitiveness and AI and digital readiness of the European audiovisual and cultural sectors, better production, financing and circulation of European content, higher visibility, discoverability and audiences, and a faster environmental transition.
What are the key facts?
- Topic budget
- €7,183,502
- Funding rate
- up to 80%
- Call code
- CREA-CROSS-2027-INNOVLAB
- Programme
- Creative Europe
- Funder
- European Union, Creative Europe Programme (Cross-sectoral strand), managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
- Eligible applicants
- public or private legal entities from Creative Europe participating countries, applying alone or in a consortium of at least 2 applicants
- Duration
- normally no more than 24 months
Who can apply for this call?
- Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities, public or private.
- They must be established in a Creative Europe participating country: EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories), listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme.
- They must be owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority, by nationals of participating countries; for publicly listed entities whose owners cannot be established, the location of the stock exchange decides.
- Entities from countries negotiating association may take part and can sign grants if the negotiations are concluded before grant signature and the association covers the call.
- Single applicants are allowed, as are consortia of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities).
- Natural persons are not eligible, except self-employed sole traders without separate legal personality.
- International organisations are eligible, and the eligible-country rules do not apply to them.
- EU bodies, except the Joint Research Centre, cannot be part of the consortium.
- Entities subject to EU restrictive measures cannot participate in any capacity, including as associated partners, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties.
- Entities subject to EU conditionality measures cannot participate in any funded role.
Check your eligibility and how your project fits
In your free account, we check the eligibility conditions against the call documents for your organisation and assess how well your project fits this call.
When is the deadline?
22 April 2027 (168 days)
22 April 2027, 17:00 CET (Brussels time). Single-stage submission.
Interested in this call? Summary written with AI from the official call documents. Details can differ, so check the official call page before you apply. Read the official call documents before you decide. The official text is always binding.
Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the official call documents. Official call page Last updated 28 October 2026.