EU4Culture was an EU-funded project dedicated to fostering the cultural and creative sectors in the Eastern Partnership countries. With a strong focus on non-capital cities, the project empowered local cultural ecosystems, driving social and economic development across the region.
Over its duration, EU4Culture provided over €1.5 million in funding to support the development and implementation of Cultural Strategies. 14 non-capital cities across five Eastern Partnership countries received financial support to shape their cultural visions. In Ukraine, Vinnytsia, Rivne and Odesa successfully implemented cultural initiatives adapted to the challenges of war and post-war recovery.
The project also supported 15 independent cultural organizations from Armenia, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, enabling them to realize innovative cultural and cross-sectoral projects with a total budget of €375,000.
Capacity building was a key pillar of EU4Culture, with 500 stakeholders from non-capital cities enhancing their expertise in cultural strategy development, internationalization, cultural enterprise management, and cultural indicators.
Additionally, EU4Culture facilitated 294 international mobility projects for artists and cultural professionals from across the Eastern Partnership, providing €550,000 in funding to foster cross-border collaboration and exchange.
One of the project’s lasting legacies is the EU4Culture Cities Network, a platform designed to sustain knowledge exchange and cooperation beyond the project's timeline.
EU4Culture was implemented by the Goethe-Institut (lead), the Danish Cultural Institute, Czech Centres, and the Institut Français in Georgia. The project ran from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2024, leaving a significant impact on cultural policy and development in the region.
