Digital Europe

To support the extensive dissemination and accessibility of digital technologies in Europe, Digital Europe is based on five priorities:

1. High-performance centres
2. Artificial intelligence
3. Cyber security and trust
4. Advanced digital skills
5. Introduction and optimal use of digital capacities

Within prioritys 4 and 5, there will most likely be connecting factors for the cultural and creative sector. For example, under focal point 4 'Advanced digital skills', projects are supported in which new training formats and methods are developed and tested. These offers are designed to improve digital skills and professionalisation and are aimed at students, IT employees, self-employed people and small businesses. These projects also offer cultural and creative professionals opportunities, both as participants in such training initiatives and as those who develop these offers in the first step.

Focal point 5 'Introduction and optimal use of digital capacities' is about bridging the digital gap and ensuring that the public sector and areas of public interest have access to and can use digital technologies. This also, among other things, applies to the education system and the cultural and creative sectors, which are to receive support in the introduction and advanced use of digital technologies - from artificial intelligence to high-performance centres and cyber security.

In addition, Digital Europe should contribute to the creation of new data spaces or systems. This includes, among other things, the institution of the so-called 'European Common Data Space for Cultural Heritage', which is intended to support the digital transformation in the field of cultural heritage and make Europe’s cultural heritage more digitally accessible in the future.

In the last programme generation of Erasmus+, the following project ideas received funding, for example: 

• Supporting the digital transformation of the cultural sector by expanding the European Common Data Space for cultural heritage, in particular with regard to 3D digitisation, reuse of digitised cultural assets and cross-sector and cross-border cooperation.
• Promoting linguistic and cultural diversity by creating an ecosystem around large language and AI models in Europe.
• Development of a system with VR/AR and Metaverse technologies that can be used for virtual/real spatial planning, management or navigation while enhancing the social, architectural and cultural-historical dimension of living spaces.

The programme is open to institutions with their location in an eligible country and that contribute to one or more Digital Europe aims. This includes for example:

• Universities, colleges and other research institutions
• Public institutions
• Small and medium-sized companies
• Other organisational forms

The specific types of organisations eligible for funding and whether European partner organisations are required for the application may differ depending on the call for proposals. They will be elucidated in the work programme as well as in the individual call for proposals.

You can find further funding conditions here.