The European Commission has awarded a multi-annual grant to the European Festivals Association (EFA), ensuring crucial financial support for the festival sector over the next four years. This funding, secured through two Creative Europe grants under the European Networks and Platforms for Emerging Artists programmes, will provide vital resources for EFA’s work. It will enable festivals across Europe to thrive, support and foster dynamic spaces for collaboration between emerging creatives, facilitate creativity, and dialogue with policymakers, and ensure that festivals' voices are heard at the highest levels.
Since 1952, EFA has represented, connected, and advocated for arts festivals, cities, and regions across Europe and beyond. EFA plays a pivotal role in shaping cultural policy and advocacy within the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) by amplifying local initiatives and giving them a platform on the international stage. Its collaborative, bottom-up approach keeps festival professionals competitive, visible, and influential in shaping Europe’s cultural landscape.
Its initiatives have included applied theatre initiatives built from the need to raise awareness and build solidarity. EFA has been active in environmental challenges, such as producing The “Go Green, Festivals” campaign that took place in 2023, making a call for festivals to send in stories of good greening practices to create a format where theatre is a pioneer of environmental consciousness. The archive of initiatives also includes festival work in solidarity with Ukraine, and an emphasis on creating digital networks between creative practitioners around Europe.
The new four-year funded project Care for and Share the Alliance builds on nearly ten years of these successful initiatives, including the RISE project and Revealing the Alliance. Transitioning from a focus on "revealing" to "caring for" and "sharing," this project will examine how the arts, festivals, cities, and regions can contribute to improving living conditions for both people and the planet.
EFFEA will continue its work for another four years under "EFFEA II," offering 50 annual grants to engage 50 emerging artists and 150 festivals in joint programming each year. The fund will continue addressing the needs of both artists and festivals by creating tools and fostering collaboration between emerging talents, festival organisers, and audiences across Europe.
