Support for independent European production companies capable of developing a slate of 2–3 audiovisual works in the genres of fiction, animation and creative documentary. Applicants may add a short film by an emerging talent to their slate.
European mini-slate development is aimed at increasing the competitiveness of independent European production companies from countries with low audiovisual capacity (LCC), including Ukraine, by strengthening their position in the market environment. The support targets the development of projects with potential for distribution in Europe and beyond, as well as fostering European and international co-production.
You may submit no more than one application to this call. If you have already received funding under the 2025 calls European slate development (CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVSLATE) or European mini-slate development (CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVMINISLATE), you are not eligible to apply for this call (CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE).
The information on this page is provided for information purposes only. Please consult the European Mini-Slate Development 2026 call document to verify eligibility and requirements.
What is the purpose of the funding?
- Сontribute to increasing the competitiveness of independent European production companies from countries with low audiovisual capacity and to strengthen their economic presence on the market.
- Provide financial support to audiovisual production companies for the development of works with high creative value, cultural diversity and strong potential for cross-border exploitation; to encourage the development of marketing and distribution strategies already at the development stage, increasing the potential to reach audiences at European and international levels.
- Strengthen cooperation, including co-development, between operators from different countries participating in the MEDIA strand.
- Enhance the competitiveness of European audiovisual production companies by consolidating their capacity to invest in the development phase and by expanding company activities and their innovative potential to explore new paths and markets.
Who can apply?
You can submit a maximum of one project proposal to this call. If you have already received funding for the European slate development (CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVSLATE) or European mini-slate development (CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVMINISLATE) calls, you cannot apply for this call (CREA-MEDIA-2026-DEVMINISLATE).
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be independent European audiovisual production companies, established in countries with low audiovisual capacity (LCC Group A or B) participating fully in the MEDIA strand (including Ukraine) that can demonstrate recent experience in producing internationally distributed works
- produced at least one previous work since 2019, which respect the following conditions:
- are animation, fiction or creative documentary projects (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 24 minutes (except for projects with a user experience in non-linear format (e.g. Virtual Reality), in which case there is no minimum duration).
- have been actually released in cinemas, broadcast on television or made available on digital platforms in at least three countries other than that of the applicant before the day of the deadline for submission of applications and, in case of linear broadcast, by three different broadcasters.
- the releases or broadcasts were all of a commercial nature. Screenings during festivals are not accepted as a commercial distribution
- works produced by the applicant company or a personal onscreen producer credit of the Chief Executive or one of the shareholders
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories
(OCTs)
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Creative Europe Programme (list of participating countries)
- be established in one of the countries participating fully in the MEDIA strand of the Creative Europe Programme and owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority participation, by nationals from such countries.
- Creative Europe Participating Countries:
Only applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries; affiliated entities are allowed, if needed).
Following countries are considered countries with a low audiovisual capacity:
- LCC group A: Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Romania
- LCC group B: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia and Ukraine.
Support available for
Development of 2 to 3 works for commercial exploitation intended for cinema release, television broadcasting or commercial exploitation on digital platforms or a multi-platform environment in the following categories:
-
- animation,
- creative documentary or
- fiction.
Only the development activities for the following works are eligible:
-
- feature films (minimum 60 minutes) primarily intended for cinema release;
- Fiction projects (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 90 minutes, animation (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 24 minutes and creative intended for TV or digital platforms;
- interactive and immersive projects (e.g. narrative VR), with no minimum duration.
Applicants have the option to add a short film by emerging talent to their slate.
Ineligible works include, among others: reality shows, TV formats, educational programmes, promotional or institutional content, tourism documentaries, music videos, video games, student films, and graduation works.
How much can you apply for?
Project budget (maximum grant amount): between €60,000 and €310,000 per project.
The grant is provided as a lump sum, meaning a fixed amount not linked to actual costs.
Fixed lump sums depend on the type of work, including:
-
- Animation: €55,000–60,000
- Creative documentary: €30,000–35,000
- Fiction: €45,000–100,000 (depending on the production budget)
- Short film: €10,000
The final grant amount may be lower than the amount requested.
How can you apply?
Read and download the call document for the European Mini-Slate Development 2026 in order to check eligibility and requirements.
Applications are processed through the European Commission's Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal (F&TP).
Detailed information on how to access the F&T Portal.
