Culture: euro7,000,000 for 154 projects

Culture requires funding, both for the act of creation and for access to the "finished product." The Ministry of Culture is financing 154 projects aimed at increasing access to culture in disadvantaged areas, implemented by non-governmental organizations in localities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. According to the Ministry of Culture, the projects were selected following two calls for proposals conducted through the National Cultural Fund Administration, with a total budget available under Investment I5 - "Increasing access to culture in culturally disadvantaged areas" of euro7 million. The first call is dedicated to funding a program that spans two years, operating on an equivalent funding system and in partnership with local authorities, for annual or multi-year cultural programs implemented at the local level. According to the ministry: "Following the evaluation process of submitted projects, 72 funding contracts have been signed for projects that will be implemented by NGOs in 105 localities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, where cultural events take place with approximately 3,500 beneficiaries, including children and youth." The second call facilitates the implementation of a pilot program for funding culture-based education projects, with 82 public educational institutions in 82 localities carrying out cultural projects benefiting over 2,500 children. Funding contracts for both project calls were signed at the end of March, and currently, all 154 projects are in the implementation phase. Most of these projects' activities run until June 30, 2024. The project implementation deadline for Investment 5 is set in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan through target 347 of the Council Decision approving the evaluation of Romania's Recovery and Resilience Plan, as further informed by the Ministry of Culture.