A conference was held today in Bielsko-Biała, where the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy presented the possibilities of obtaining European funds for culture.

The conference was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic headed by the Director General of the Section for Cross-border Cooperation Programmes, Lea Mala, the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała, Jarosław Klimaszewski, the Deputy Voivode of the Śląskie Voivodeship, Jan Chrząszcz, as well as representatives of local government administration, cultural organisations and beneficiaries of support for the cultural sector from the European funds. 

European funds have been supporting the protection of Poland’s cultural heritage for more than a dozen years.
Polish government allocated PLN 2 billion of EU funds from the Infrastructure and Environment Programme 2014–2020 for the development of the cultural sector.

In the current financial perspective 2021–2027, we are allocating record funds to culture. Polish beneficiaries will have a total of about PLN 7 billion at their disposal, plus about PLN 1.6 billion from the Interreg programmes, i.e. those dedicated to the implementation of investments together with partners from neighbouring countries, such as Slovakia

– said the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, Grzegorz Puda, when opening the conference on the possibilities of obtaining European funds for culture.

The Minister emphasised that southern Poland has a huge potential to increase the role of culture and tourism in the economic development of the borderland.

Good Polish-Slovak cooperation in this area gives impetus to the development of tourism and culture, which contributes to the economic strengthening of the regions on both sides of the border, increasing their competitiveness and uniform development

– said the head of the ministry.

Minister Puda emphasised the role played by the Interreg cross-border cooperation programmes in this process.