Ukraine Joins Full Scope of EU’s ‘Creative Europe’ Program
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed into law the ratification of an updated agreement with the European Union that grants Ukraine full participation rights in Creative Europe, the EU’s flagship program supporting culture and creative industries.
The move marks a breakthrough for Ukraine’s cultural integration with Europe, The Gaze reports, citing the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.
The law, approved by the Verkhovna Rada on July 15, finalizes Ukraine’s inclusion in all strands of Creative Europe(2021–2027), including the highly competitive MEDIA sub-program, which had previously been off-limits due to legislative differences.
With full access, Ukrainian artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, architects, and cultural organizations can now compete equally alongside EU peers for project grants, co-productions, and cross-border initiatives. Eligible projects range from theater performances and music festivals to publishing, game development, and film production.
The EU confirmed Ukraine’s MEDIA eligibility after the country aligned its audiovisual legislation with Directive 2010/13/EU in 2023. In a show of solidarity, the European Commission has also launched a €5 million special call — Support to Ukrainian Displaced People and the Ukrainian Cultural and Creative Sectors — aimed at aiding war-affected Ukrainian creatives.
Originally joining Creative Europe in 2016 through the Association Agreement, Ukraine had only partial access to its Culture and Cross-Sectoral components. Full membership now strengthens Ukraine’s position in the European cultural space and helps counteract the devastating impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion on the nation’s creative industries.
The development is expected to boost networking, international visibility, and the promotion of European values within Ukraine, while offering new tools for rebuilding and sustaining its resilient cultural sector.
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