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VLAIO subsidy guide for the cultural & creative sectors.

Last updated: 22 May 2026

Details

  • URL: https://www.vlaio.be/nl/subsidies-financiering/subsidiedatabank/subsidiegids/culturele-creatieve-sectoren
  • What it is: a subsidy guide with an overview of support measures for the cultural & creative sectors (Flanders)
  • Examples of measures in the guide (selection):
    • Subsidies for cultural projects (professional makers/organisations)
    • Innovative cultural partner projects
    • Screen Flanders (repayable advance, up to €400,000)
    • VAF subsidies (films/series/games/interactive work)
    • Tax Shelter (audiovisual/performing arts/video games)
    • FIT support for international trade fairs & niche events (up to €5,000/€7,500) + digital international commercial communication (lump sum €3,000/€4,500)
    • CultuurKrediet (Hefboom): €5,000–€125,000, max interest 4%
    • Innovative Starter Support (VLAIO): €50,000 + guidance
  • Tip: VLAIO also recommends the Financing Compass and FINMIX to define your financing mix

What will you find in this VLAIO subsidy guide?

On this page (subsidy guide “Cultural & creative sectors”), VLAIO brings together an overview of support measures that may be relevant for organisations and entrepreneurs in the cultural, creative and audiovisual sectors.

The page also mentions that you can create a print-ready PDF bundle with all measures and explanations from the overview.

Measures in the guide (overview – according to the source)

In addition to the examples above, VLAIO lists (among others) the following measures:

Culture & creation

  • Innovative cultural partner projects (Department of Culture, Youth and Media)
  • Subsidies for cultural projects by professional makers and organisations (Flemish Government / Department of Culture, Youth and Media)
  • Literature: subsidies via Literatuur Vlaanderen

Audiovisual & games

  • Film: support via Screen Flanders (repayable advance, max €400,000)
  • Films, series, games and interactive work: subsidies via VAF (from script to post-production + professional support)

Fiscal (pre-financing)

  • Tax Shelter for audiovisual works, performing arts and video games (tax benefits for investing companies; for productions an important form of pre-financing)

Internationalisation (FIT)

  • Participation in an international trade fair or niche event (FIT subsidy; amounts depend on the participation type)
  • Digital international commercial company communication (FIT lump sum for external development/translation of a multilingual website/webshop, company video and social media)

European

  • European support for the creative and cultural sector (Creative Europe)

Financing / loans

  • CultuurKrediet (loan for companies/artists/organisations in CCS that cannot (any longer) obtain bank credit)

Broader entrepreneurship & innovation support (also relevant for CCS)

  • SME portfolio (kmo-portefeuille) (support for training and advice – within the measure’s conditions)
  • Development project (innovation grant)
  • Intellectual property: support options
  • Circular entrepreneurship: subsidies

PMV and tax measures for entrepreneurs (more general)

  • Start-up loan (Startlening) (PMV)
  • Co-financing (PMV)
  • Guarantee scheme up to €2.25 million
  • Winwin loan (Winwinlening)
  • Tax Shelter for start-ups
  • Tax Shelter for scale-ups
  • PMV business loans
  • PMV risk capital

Labour & tax (more general)

  • Tax regime for authors’ rights and neighbouring rights
  • Target group reduction for first hires (social security)
  • Exemption from paying over withholding tax for start-ups

Tip: tools to define your financing mix

VLAIO refers to:

  • Financing Compass (Financieringskompas)
  • FINMIX

Want to know more?

This article was written with AI and may contain inaccuracies. Visit the source website to consult the original information.

View source website

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