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1. Acquiring cultural and creative competences through education and training

2. Specialised training for professionals in the education, culture and youth fields

3. Providing quality access to creative environments

Acquiring cultural and creative competences through education and training

In formal education (see Chapter 6.8, Media Literacy and Safe Use of New Media) young people acquire fundamental cultural and digital skills that underpin creativity. Beyond the education system, specialist programmes support the development of cultural-heritage and creative-industry competences.

One key initiative is the Project Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage (Proyecto Tecnologías Aplicadas al Patrimonio Cultura), implemented by the Ministry of Culture and the National University of Distance Education (UNED). It trains up to 10,000 professionals in digital competences relevant to cultural heritage, including 3D scanning, modelling, geodata collection and online content management. The training—budgeted at €14 million under the Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia—is free for eligible groups (graduates or vocational-training holders in heritage disciplines, or residents of towns with under 50,000 inhabitants).

Complementing this, in 2024 the Ministry and UNED launched DigitARTE, a new nationwide programme that offers two free online courses: Management of Digital Production in Culture and Creative Industries and Creation of Digital Cultural Content. Up to 2,000 participants receive training to strengthen digital competences in cultural and creative fields. Priority is given to women, residents in small municipalities and individuals over 40, promoting inclusive access to digital creativity

Non formal learning projects

The Ministry of Culture issues annual grant calls such as the Action and Cultural Promotion Grant (Ayudas para la acción y la promoción cultural), which support activities that generate cultural content, professionalise the cultural and creative industries, foster public–private cooperation, and promote participation across Spain. The 2025 call, published on 25 February 2025, has an overall provisional budget of approximately €1.99 million. These grants are open to individuals and non-profit entities (with a cultural mission) and frequently support projects led by or involving young creators.

Specialised training for professionals in the education, culture and youth fields

The 2025 edition of the FormARTE Scholarship Programme (Becas FormARTE) provides scholarships for specialised training and professional practice in cultural institutions dependent on the Ministry of Culture. Modalities cover conservation and restoration, museology, archives and documentation, cultural management, fine arts and photography. The grants are directed mainly at young graduates and early-career professionals seeking to develop expertise within public cultural institutions.

In addition,  the CULTUREX Scholarships, coordinated by the Ministry of Culture, offer nine-month placements abroad for young professionals (aged 18 to 35) in cultural management, at embassies, consulates and cultural institutes, promoting international experience and the professionalisation of Spain’s cultural managers.

Nationally, the Ministry also encourages creative-sector networking through initiatives such as the Meeting with Young Creators (Encuentro con Jóvenes Creadores), held within the Month of Emergent Design (Mes de Diseño Emergente). Active since 2017, this meeting allows young design students to exhibit their work, and beneficiaries of the Young Creation Grant (see Chapter 8.6) to exhibit and discuss their work, thereby linking training, creation and professional exposure.

Providing quality access to creative environments

At regional level, the Valencian Consortia of Museums (Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana) launched a residency programme called Culture Resident (Programa de Residencias para Creadores. The programme offers artists financial and logistical support—covering production costs, travel and accommodation—for the development of original projects or research in progress. At least two of the annual residencies are reserved for creators with roots in the Valencian Community.

Comparable residencies, training and mobility schemes are promoted by other Autonomous Communities – for example,  Andalusia’s Creative Residences Iniciarte Programme (Residencias Creativas Iniciarte) and Catalonia’s Nau Côclea Residencies Programme –  contributing to a nationwide network of creative environments supported by public authorities.