The European Audiovisual Observatory will undertake a major study that will result
in two unique publications on the animation industry in Europe this year. This
research will be carried out for the European Commission, the initiator of this
project, to map out the landscape of the animation industry in Europe. The results
will be presented at a public conference organised at the end of 2015. This EU
project aims at refining the EU support policy towards the animation sector in
Europe by providing much-needed data on the industry structure, operations and
performance. The Strasbourg-based Observatory will be working alongside and
using intelligence provided by Cartoon, an international non-profit association which
aims to support the animation industry with informative events, and the CITIA city
of moving images initiative. CITIA is a skills and resource centre in the field of
moving images and creative industries.
The first publication – Animation Europe – will be a snapshot market overview to be
released at the MIFA animation market during the Annecy International Animation
Film Festival from 15 to 20 June this year. This landmark publication will provide
key market data on the production, distribution and consumption of both European
feature length animation films and television animation works, as well as structural
data on the European animation industry. The second publication, a more
comprehensive study – Mapping the Animation Industry in Europe – will be delivered
to the European Commission at the end of this year. This study will build on the data outlined in the first
publication as well as provide a more in-depth analysis of the industry, and will be published on the
websites of the Commission.
Lucia Recalde head of the media unit in the Commission’s Directorate General for
Education and Culture stated, “The European Commission has initiated and is
financing this study on animation in Europe.’ She added, “Europe’s animation
industry is a source of creativity, which offers an untapped potential to develop
innovative content and business models. A successful support policy for the
European animation industry must be based on up to date market intelligence and
an in depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing this industry.
We believe this study will provide this much needed analysis of the sector.’
The Observatory’s director, Susanne Nikoltchev, said that this research would
provide “some much needed transparency in today’s European animation industry.’
She added that, “everyone observes that animation in Europe has developed into a
vital part of the audio-visual sector – in terms of creativity, growth, and jobs. The
Observatory and its partners will provide the facts and figures necessary to give us
a quantified appreciation of this dynamic industry’. Nikoltchev concluded that the
Strasbourg-based Observatory was delighted that the European Commission had
entrusted this project to her team.
To receive advance information about these publications or an invitation to the
Brussels presentation at the end of the year, contact:
Alison.hindhaugh@coe.int
