Program ‘Entrepreneurship in Culture’
The key objective of the measure is to give support to nascent cultural entrepreneurship programmes so as to boost the fragile cultural and creative industries in the Republic of Croatia. The Programme started almost ten years ago as a joint venture with the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship. However, in the last couple of years, changes were introduced to the measure and now it is only implemented by the Ministry of Culture.
In October 2008 the first attempt to support cultural industries as a specialized field of cultural production was launched by the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the former Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship. The competition for funds to cover the costs of technological equipment, administrative and office expenses etc. was opened and over 450 cultural entrepreneurs applied to the call. In 2013 this model was partially changed and the Ministry of Culture was responsible for part of the project, while the Ministry of Entrepreneurship developed a special line devoted to SMEs in creative industries as a part of the new call "Entrepreneurship Impulse", which distributed 3 million HRK (approx. 400 000 EUR) in that year. In 2014 the Ministry of Culture distributed 1 526 900 HRK (approx. 200 000 EUR), while the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts has not announced new calls for creative industries projects, but has opened a Pilot Project for contemporary design, artistic and traditional projects in the amount of 500 000 HRK (approx. 67 000 EUR). In 2015 and 2016, the Ministry of Culture continued with the measures introduced now under the title ‘Entrepreneurship in culture’ with slightly increased funds - 1 854 096 HRK (approx. 247 212 EUR) and 1 817 577 HRK (approx. 242 343 EUR) supporting 60 projects in both years respectively.
The implementation of the measure is expected to provide the much needed additional financial support for the technical infrastructures of diverse entrepreneurial projects of cultural organizations and independent artists.
In the last two years 2015 and 2016, the Ministry of Culture earmarked over 1.800.000KN for the implementation of this Programme -1 854 096 HRK (approx. 247 212 EUR) and 1 817 577 HRK (approx. 242 343 EUR) supporting 60 projects in both years respectively.