Share the page
CREA Fund: a fund to support cultural and creative industries (CCIs)

The creative economy is now recognized as a driver of development: it fosters innovation, promotes knowledge transfer, and contributes to more inclusive growth. Proparco, with the support of the European Commission's CreatiFI initiative, has launched CREA Fund, aimed at financial intermediaries interested in exploring the opportunities offered by this sector in African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries.
According to UNESCO, the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) represent approximately 3% of global GDP and 30 million jobs. Yet, their growth is often hindered by limited access to financing. The specific characteristics of the creative economy, such as the size of its businesses (often SMEs and startups) or the intangible nature of their assets, can pose challenges for financial intermediaries lacking expertise in this sector.
Launched by the European Union in 2019, CreatiFI (The Cultural and Creative Industries Financing Initiative) is a financing initiative for the cultural and creative industries aimed at bridging the funding gap in this sector across ACP countries. CreatiFI is a flagship initiative of the EU's Global Gateway strategy, which aims to strengthen international partnerships and promote sustainable development.
CREA Fund complements contributions of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, which are implementing the other two strands of CreatiFI.
CREA Fund offers two key areas of support:
- A guarantee mechanism designed to cover investments that financial intermediaries may undertake in creative sector businesses.
- Technical support for financial intermediaries in target countries, helping them better understand the specificities of the Cultural and Creative Industries through market studies, training, and sector-specific expertise. It also enables them to support the growth of the businesses they wish to finance.
By providing these resources, CREA Fund creates a more favorable environment for creative sector entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, business growth, and economic and cultural development in their regions.
News
The European Union and Proparco catalyse financing for Creative and Cultural Industries in Africa and the Caribbean
The CREA Fund Facility, supported by the European Union and implemented by Proparco, actively supports the development of creative and cultural industries (CCI) in emerging countries. This initiative ...
Published on july 1 2025


With the European Union, Proparco launches CREA Fund, its first initiative to support cultural and creative in...
Published on february 15 2022

Publications
Report - Access to Finance for the Film Industry in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica
Published on april 2 2025

Report - Success Stories in the Creative Industries in Africa and other Emerging Markets
Published on april 2 2025

Replay webinar: "Success Stories in the Creative Industries in Africa and Other Emerging Markets"
Published on april 29 2025
