– The Greek government approves a landmark five-year action plan aimed at scaling up production incentives, skills development and international competitiveness across the audiovisual industry
Greece has taken a decisive step towards reshaping its audiovisual landscape with the approval of the five-year strategic plan “Greece On Screen” by the Council of Ministers. The initiative, jointly designed by the Ministry of Culture and the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED), mobilises €750 million for the period 2026–2030 and establishes the most comprehensive state-backed framework for the country’s creative industries to date.
The plan positions audiovisual production as a core pillar of Greece’s economic and cultural strategy, expanding support beyond film and television to include animation, digital games and music-related audiovisual projects. It also introduces a parallel legislative push with the creation of a new level-5 Film and Audiovisual Technical School, designed to address long-standing skills gaps in the sector.
According to the official breakdown, €412 million will be allocated to investment programmes supporting domestic productions and international shoots in Greece, as well as selective development schemes and distribution and promotion initiatives for Greek cinema. A further €210 million will be channelled through a loan guarantee scheme in collaboration with the Hellenic Development Bank, targeting SMEs active in the sector. The instrument is intended to improve liquidity, facilitate access to financing and reinforce the sector’s industrial base.
An additional €20 million is earmarked for digital games development and audiovisual-driven music festivals, while another €20 million will support international outreach and cultural diplomacy actions. A further €52 million will fund the new Film and Audiovisual Technical School, training programmes, innovation initiatives and the digitisation of Greece’s audiovisual heritage. Finally, €36 million will cover administrative, technical and institutional support measures, including digital infrastructure upgrades, expert registries and evaluation mechanisms.
The plan also foresees the reinforcement of the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s Agora as an international hub, alongside the parallel strengthening of Athens as a complementary institutional and industry centre through targeted initiatives aimed at enhancing its international visibility and industry relevance.
Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni described the initiative as “a conscious strategic choice to invest in culture as a force for development, social cohesion and international presence. With total resources of €750 million for the period 2026–2030, we are creating a stable, reliable and competitive environment for cinema, television, animation, digital games and every field of the contemporary creative economy. Culture is development.”
EKKOMED CEO Leonidas Christopoulos highlighted the scale of the reform, stating that the plan marks “a critical milestone for audiovisual creation in the country. For the first time, the Greek State addresses the film and audiovisual industry in such a systematic and comprehensive way, treating it simultaneously as a cultural and development pillar. Within just 20 months, EKKOMED, in close and effective cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, has managed to implement critical reforms, significantly increase available resources, and establish a stable and credible medium-term policy framework.”
The strategy builds on recent studies confirming the sector’s strong economic performance, including findings that every €1 invested in audiovisual production generates €4.2 in return for the wider economy (see the news). Against this backdrop, “Greece On Screen” aims to consolidate growth, strengthen institutional stability and enhance Greece’s international profile in the global production market.
