EU supports and strengthens cultural and creative industries through WORTH Partnership Project

Image: HERECO revives the craft of hand-loomed hemp to create fair-trade, regenerative textiles in Ukraine

The WORTH Partnership Project is a cornerstone of the EU’s strategy to place creative industries and in particular design at the forefront of Europe’s transformation. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainability, the EU supports a vision of a society in which creativity is a driving force for building a more inclusive, eco-friendly, and innovative future.

EU investments in cultural and creative industries 

Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are not just engines of economic growth; they are also catalysts for innovation and sustainability. Employing over 8 million people and contributing 3.95% of the EU's value added (EUR 457 billion), CCIs are integral to Europe’s economic and social fabric.

To empower this dynamic sector, the EU is offering targeted initiatives and funding programmes such as the InvestEU – Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (CCS GF), which facilitates access to funding, and the SME Fund, which helps smaller enterprises safeguard and leverage their intellectual property. The Single Market and COSME programmes finance WORTH Partnership Project which further complements these efforts by providing creatives with the resources and business partnerships they need to access markets and succeed on a global stage.

Worth Partnership Project: a key player in creative and lifestyle industries

Since its launch in 2013, WORTH has supported over 380 partnerships between designers, SMEs, manufacturers, and tech providers who work together to develop innovative, design-oriented business ideas to help creatives push boundaries in lifestyle industries such as fashion, accessories, footwear, furniture, textiles, and architecture. WORTH stands out by fostering collaboration between innovators across Europe, empowering them with financial support to bring creative ideas to life, tailored mentoring from industry experts to refine projects, and networking opportunities that connect participants with international partners. It also provides global visibility through showcases at Milan Design Week, an online exhibition, and professional profiles featured in the WORTH gallery, ensuring that participants’ work receives the recognition and visibility it deserves.

Supporting Europe’s creative industries further 

WORTH does not just fund projects, it transforms ideas into success stories. Aligned with the EU vision, the Project encourages innovation, circular practices and sustainable production methods, addressing key challenges such as Social Innovation, Circular Economy, Reinventing Craftsmanship, Digital Manufacturing and more.

These efforts are supported by broader EU initiatives and funding programmes designed to accelerate the green and digital transitions in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs).

Key instruments include:

• Creative Europe Programme: supporting cross-sectoral, cultural, and media strands to enhance the resilience of the CCIs;
• Horizon Europe: promoting research, innovation, and sustainability through dedicated calls for proposals and initiatives like the EIT Culture and Creativity Knowledge and Innovation Community;
• InvestEU – Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (CCS GF): facilitating access to finance for SMEs and micro-enterprises;
• Cohesion Policy Funds (ERDF, ESF+): driving regional development and employment in creative sectors;
• Digital Europe Programme: advancing digital transformation across industries, including CCIs;
• Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF): delivering reforms and investments to accelerate recovery, mapped through the EU’s RRF Scoreboard.

A future built on design, creativity and collaboration

By enabling partnerships between designers, SMEs, manufacturers, and tech innovators, WORTH enhances innovation and business development in Europe’s creative industries, strengthening their global competitiveness. It embodies the EU’s commitment to building a future where creativity and design powers economic growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Explore how the WORTH Project is reshaping the creative landscape, one idea at a time.

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