HORIZONT EUROPE - Global Challenges and Competitiveness - Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
The social sciences and humanities have been given a place in Cluster 2 in Horizon Europe. Its main purpose is to strengthen democratic governance and civic participation in Europe, to preserve and make accessible Europe's cultural heritage, and to find answers to the current social, economic and technological transformation.
The activities supported by Cluster 2 are designed to generate and coordinate interdisciplinary knowledge from the European social sciences to help understand contemporary transformations in society, economy, politics and culture. This new knowledge is intended to help design concrete policy measures to contribute to a more socially just and inclusive Europe and to foster its green and digital revival. Research topics in Cluster 2 include democratic principles, education, inequalities, unemployment, discrimination, radicalisation and respect for human rights. Cultural diversity and ways of preserving Europe's cultural heritage are explored. The role of the cultural and creative industries as one of the important economic sectors in the EU is also newly explored. New social innovations are designed to empower citizens. The cluster is open to the social sciences, humanities, arts and cultural and creative industries.
The Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society Cluster is divided into 3 basic areas, called Destinations. An overview of open, upcoming or closed calls is provided by the European portal:
- Democracy and Governance Research/DEMOCRACY
- Research on European cultural heritage and cultural and creative industries/HERITAGE
- Research on Social and Economic Transformation/TRANSFORMATIONS
Basic information about the Horizon Europe programme can be found on the European Commission's website, and about Cluster 2 specifically here. The commissioning of research on single topics is set out in the Work Programme for Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2023-2024. All opportunities for the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society strand are mapped on the Funding Opportunities and Procurement Portal.
For information on social science/humanities research and an overview of successful EU-funded projects, see Social sciences and humanities.
On 6 December 2022, the European Commission published the Cluster 2 Work Programme for Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society for the period 2023-24.
The deadline for the submission of projects for the 2023 calls is 14 March 2023. The 2024 calls open on 4 October 2023 and close on 7 February 2024.
On 21 November, the Prague Technology Centre organised a National Information Day on the newly opened calls in Cluster 2. The European Commission is organising an Information Day on the calls on 17 January 2023.
The funding opportunities are divided into three main areas:
- DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE: Funding research that will strengthen democratic governance, trust in institutions and the protection of fundamental rights. There are 8 calls and a total budget of €75 million for 2023. For 2024, there will be 12 calls and a budget of €95 million.
- EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES: Funding research that will improve access to cultural heritage, promote its preservation and contribute to job creation in the creative industries. There are 10 calls and a total budget of €113 million for 2023. For 2024, there will be 5 calls and a budget of €65 million.
- SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION: Funding research that will help address social, economic and political inequalities and promote human capital development. There are 10 calls and a total budget of €80 million for 2023. For 2024, there will be 11 calls and a total budget of €96 million.