Culture and Artistic Research in Horizon Europe 2028-2034

As a member of the Artistic Research Alliance (ARA), Culture Action Europe welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to double the Horizon Europe budget to €175 billion for the 2028–2034 period. However, important gaps remain to be addressed if Europe is to enhance the excellence and international competitiveness of the European Research Area and its constituents.

In our collective response to the initial proposals for Horizon Europe 2028–2034, the ARA outlines recommendations to unlock the full potential of the arts, culture, heritage, and creativity in shaping the programme’s next edition.

In particular, we believe that:

• Art and artistic research must be systematically supported as an independent domain of knowledge and recognised as a key contributor across all Pillars of Horizon Europe;
• Collaborative research across the arts, culture, heritage, and creativity should be recognised as a structural component of the Competitiveness cluster under Pillar II, with its own dedicated financial envelope.

The ARA represents the diverse field of artistic research, encompassing academic institutions, independent research institutions, and all artistic disciplines. With a network of approximately 1000 institutions, we bring collective expertise to inform and shape key discussions on policy, funding, and assessment frameworks.

Read our full statement here.

Image credit: European Commission.