Inclusion and Diversity

Inclusion, Gender Equality and Diversity

This section aims to provide Creative Europe beneficiaries with relevant information on gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, topics that are essential across all projects and initiatives within both the Culture and Media strands.

Inclusion, diversity, and gender equality are among the core priorities of the Creative Europe Programme, alongside sustainability, the green transition, digitalization, and international cooperation.

This means that all Creative Europe-supported projects, without exception, must address and seek to contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, while also considering aspects such as well-being and health.

Projects can approach this in various ways and at different levels, depending on their nature, focus, and target audiences.

Creative Europe encourages beneficiaries to integrate gender equality, diversity, and inclusion across all projects. This can be done in various ways depending on the nature of the project, whether it falls under the Culture or Media strand. Below are several possible approaches:

Option 1. One of the most direct approaches to addressing gender equality, diversity, and inclusion is to make them the main theme or subtheme of the project. This could involve, for example, supporting the professional development and networking of women or minority groups in the arts or increasing the representation of marginalized communities within a specific artistic discipline. The project may also aim to enhance access to and participation in cultural life for vulnerable groups, such as migrant women, or address inclusion in a different but equally meaningful way.

Option 2. It is, of course, perfectly acceptable if a project does not explicitly address gender equality, diversity, or inclusion as its main topic, not all projects are required to do so. However, if your project focuses on a different theme, you can still reflect on how collaboration takes place within the project team and among partner organizations. Ask yourself:

What is the gender balance within the consortium?
Do all individuals have equal opportunities to participate in the project, regardless of gender or identity?
Is there equal pay among team members?
Are there adequate provisions and a supportive environment for parents, especially those with young children? For example, are maternity rights respected, and is work-life balance encouraged?

Developing a strategy for equality and inclusion within the project's internal operations can serve as a lever for organizational transformation, something the European Commission actively encourages and values.

Option 3. Another valid way to address this priority is through the project’s communication strategies and overall implementation, particularly by considering your target groups and how you engage with them. Reflect on the following:

Is the language you use inclusive?
Are there any biases or barriers that may prevent certain groups from fully participating in the project or its activities?
What steps can you take to remove or reduce these barriers?

For example, are you making efforts to ensure your events and activities are accessible to people with disabilities or parents with young children? By paying attention to these aspects, your project can demonstrate a meaningful commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equality even if they are not the core topic of your work.

Useful materials, tools, and guides

Below you will find a selection of useful materials, tools, guides, and other documents designed to help you better understand how to address and integrate the gender equality, diversity, and inclusion within the framework of the Creative Europe Programme.

European Institute for Gender Equality: Gender Mainstreaming, his page from the European Institute for Gender Equality provides guidance and clarification on the concept of gender mainstreaming, that is, the integration of gender considerations across all levels of an organization or project. The page includes a variety of practical tools, a catalog of best practices, a dedicated subpage focusing on gender and cultural policy. This resource can be particularly useful for those working in the cultural and creative sectors, helping to design more inclusive and equality-driven initiatives.
SHIFT Culture is an EU-funded project aimed at transforming the cultural sector to become more sustainable and inclusive. Their Inclusion page features a valuable handbook on inclusion and diversity in the cultural sector, including practical guidance on how to identify and counter bias. This resource is especially useful for cultural organizations seeking to create more equitable and accessible environments.
Europe Beyond Access: Learning Journeys is a Creative Europe-funded project that aims to make the performing arts sector in Europe more accessible and inclusive for artists with disabilities. These resources support more inclusive practices and help create equitable opportunities within the performing arts field. The Learning Journeys section provides a range of practical tools, tips, and guides tailored to:
Keychange is a Creative Europe-supported initiative that aims to improve gender representation in the music sector. It offers a range of tools and opportunities, including the possibility for music organizations to sign the Keychange Pledge, committing to promoting gender diversity within their activities. You can read more about The Keychange Pledge here.
Culture for Health was a project that explored and mapped initiatives and methodologies at the intersection of culture, health, and well-being. The project's website offers a range of valuable resources, including:
- The practical guide “Culture for Health and Well-being Compendium”;
- A mapping of European culture-and-health initiatives. The Culture and Health Platform serves as the continuation of the project, providing ongoing webinars and online capacity-building opportunities. You can learn more about the Culture and Health Platform here.
EU Policy on Gender Equality in Cultural Life provides an overview of how the European Union views the role of cultural life in the context of gender equality. It highlights both the current gender equality challenges across various sectors and the ways in which culture can have a positive impact and contribute to ensuring gender equality.
Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025. The European Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy sets out the Commission’s vision and approach to promoting and ensuring gender equality across Europe during the 2020–2025 period.
Towards Gender Equality in the Cultural and Creative Sectors. This report presents an overview of the state of gender equality in Europe’s cultural and creative sectors. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the main challenges and provides practical recommendations to help advance gender equality across the creative industries. All recommendations are also summarized in a shorter companion publication.
Creative Europe 2014–2020: Gender Equality, Sustainability and Digitalisation. This publication can provide inspiration and ideas on how to address gender equality in Creative Europe projects. It offers a comparative overview of projects funded during the previous programming period (2014–2020), with a particular focus on sustainability, gender equality, and digitalisation.
GENIE (Gender Equality Networks in Europe) is a database that gathers gender equality initiatives in the music sector across Europe. The results can be filtered by country and field, allowing users to explore how gender equality and diversity are being addressed in different parts of the European music industry. You can use this tool to gain insight into existing initiatives and to identify potential partners for your upcoming project.
The "Cultural Rights" Manual was published in Armenia in 2022 by the Cultural and Social Narratives Laboratory NGO. The original English version of this handbook can be downloaded from the New Democracy Fund website.