Creative Europe Programme · European Union

European slate development

Open

The EU's Creative Europe Programme programme expects to make awards, from a total budget of €22.37 million. Applications close on 1 Dec 2026 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

Deadline: 1 Dec 2026 (in 16 days)
Grant amount: €22.37 million total budget
Funding rate: Varies by programme — see the call conditions
Total budget: €22.37 million
Type of action: CREA Lump Sum Grants · CREA Lump Sum Grant
Likely applicant types: Non-profits, Public bodies, Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Universities & research From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
Funder: Creative Europe Programme (CREA)
Reference: CREA-MEDIA-2027-DEVSLATE
Call: CREA-MEDIA-2027-DEVSLATE
Last checked: 14 Nov 2026

Open the official call ↗ Add deadline to calendar

Scope

The objective of the European slate development support is to foster the competitiveness of European independent production companies and to increase their economic weight on the market. The aim is also to increase the capacity of audiovisual producers to develop projects with the potential to circulate throughout Europe and beyond, and to facilitate European and international coproduction.

The support will also provide an entry point for emerging talent, giving them the opportunity to direct a short film supported by the strong foundation provided by experienced companies.

Expected results

• A stronger position on European and international markets for companies selected under European slate development.

• Increased quality, feasibility, cross-border potential and market value of European works supported.

Description of the activities to be funded

Support will be given to independent European production companies able to develop a slate of 3 to 5 audiovisual works (fiction, animation, creative documentary). This should allow production companies to reduce risks and increase their capacity to attract and retain talents.

Read the full text

The European slate development shall provide support to the development of minimum 3 and maximum 5 works for commercial exploitation intended for cinema release, television broadcasting or commercial exploitation on digital platforms or a multi-platform environment in the following categories: animation, creative documentary or fiction. Applicants may add a short film by emerging talent to their slate (optional).

The aim is to provide funds to audiovisual production companies to develop work with high creative value and cultural diversity and wide cross-border exploitation potential. Companies are encouraged to develop strategies for marketing and distribution from the outset of the development phase thus improving the potential to reach audiences at a European and international level.

Greater cooperation, including co-development, between operators from different countries participating in the MEDIA Strand is also pursued as well as strengthening the competitiveness of European audiovisual production companies by consolidating their capacity for investment in the development phase and expanding companies’ activities and their innovation capacity to explore new fields and markets.

Special attention will be given to applications presenting adequate strategies to ensure a more sustainable and more environmentally-respectful industry and to ensure gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness.

Topics

Animation Audiovisual Production Cinema Creative Europe Development of audiovisual works Documentary Feature film Fiction Film Production - Media Immersive audiovisual projects International co-production Producers Production of audiovisual content Script Development / Consulting / Film Director - Media Short films TV series Television VOD Virtual Reality Web-series

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2026-12-01. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

How to apply

Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
Check the topic conditions for the minimum number of partners.
Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.

From the call text

Who can apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Company stage: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Single applicant or consortium: Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where applicants must be based: Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where to apply: Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Read the EU application guide

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the official source and were last checked 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.