Law, administration and management of Cultural Heritage

The course provides an integrated overview of EU project design and cultural fundraising, offering students the theoretical foundations and practical tools to understand how cultural initiatives can be financed and managed within the European framework. In the first part, students are introduced to the fundamentals of cultural project design and to the notion of a “project-oriented culture” in the management of arts, heritage, and creative industries. Different types of cultural projects are explored — from permanent and temporary activities to network-based initiatives — along with the main EU cultural policies that frame them. This section emphasises the strategic role of culture in fostering social cohesion, innovation, and the green and digital transitions. The second part is dedicated to EU project design, with a focus on the structure and functioning of the main European funding programmes for culture and creativity, following the CulturEU guide and matrix. Students become familiar with direct and indirect EU funds — including Creative Europe, Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, LIFE, CERV, Interreg, InvestEU, and Cohesion Funds — and learn to interpret calls for proposals, eligibility criteria, and evaluation procedures. The third part focuses on cultural fundraising, understood as a key dimension of sustainability and value creation in the cultural and creative sectors. Students analyse the diversity of funding sources, both public and private, and learn how to build a balanced funding mix combining EU grants, sponsorships, donations, crowdfunding, and innovative financial instruments. Communication strategies for engaging donors, audiences, and stakeholders are also discussed. The final, applied section translates theory into practice through hands-on exercises and a project work simulating the preparation of a proposal under Creative Europe. Students experiment with defining objectives, activities, partnerships, budgets, and impact indicators, while integrating the EU’s cross-cutting priorities: inclusion, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and digital innovation.

This course does not require specific technical skills or prior experience in EU project management. However, a basic understanding of the cultural and creative sectors — including their main actors, value chains, and institutional frameworks — will facilitate learning. Students are expected to possess general knowledge of management and economics, as well as an interest in cultural policy, innovation, and sustainable development. Familiarity with fundamental concepts such as project objectives, budgeting, and evaluation is helpful but not essential, as these notions will be introduced and contextualized during the course. A good command of English terminology related to culture and the European Union will support the comprehension of official programme documents and funding calls.

The course adopts a hybrid and progressive teaching approach, integrating theoretical lectures, applied exercises, and participatory activities. Its goal is to guide students from the understanding of the principles of EU project design and cultural fundraising to the ability to develop a complete and coherent cultural project proposal. The activities are organised as follows: Asynchronous learning (16 hours): video lectures and multimedia materials introducing the core contents of the course — cultural project design, European funding sources, reference programmes, and project-writing tools. Synchronous learning (8 hours): online seminars and workshops dedicated to the analysis of real case studies and calls for proposals, as well as open discussions with experts from institutions, cultural organisations, and the project-design profession. Interactive learning (12 hours): based on e-tivities, forums, and group work, through which students apply the acquired knowledge by developing a project idea, simulating a proposal for a European programme (e.g. Creative Europe), and engaging in peer learning and feedback with the instructor. The course promotes an active and workshop-based teaching method, grounded in real cases and in the use of digital tools for funding research, partnership building, and project management. Teaching is supported by concise reference sheets, official EU resources (Funding & Tenders Portal, CulturEU Guide), and open discussion sessions on innovative practices in cultural fundraising.