Cluster 2 mobilises topics that require multidisciplinary expertise of European social sciences and humanities (SSH) to understand fundamental and contemporary transformations of society, economy, politics and culture. It aims to provide evidence-based policy options for a socially just and inclusive European green and digital transition and recovery. 

Below are the internal deadlines and budget template for all University of Malta applications under Cluster 2, along with a summary of 2 specific topics under this destination. For a complete list of topics under the destination of Innovative Research on European Cultural Heritage and Culture and Creative Industries, please consult the work programme.

Call ID: HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-01
Call Title: “Artistic intelligence”: harnessing the power of the arts to address complex challenges, enhance soft skills and boost innovation and competitiveness

Call Type: Research and Innovation Action with Lump Sum Funding. The programme aims to fund 2 Projects with a contribution of around EUR 3.5 to EUR 4 Million per project under this call.

Topic: Collaborations between art, science, and technology offer transformative potential for addressing complex societal challenges and driving human-centered innovation. This interdisciplinary research project aims to establish frameworks, networks, and evaluation metrics that consolidate these cross-sector partnerships, enhancing European competitiveness while preserving artistic freedom.

The project targets 4 distinct areas to achieve sustainable peace:

• Frameworks & Decision Toolkits: Develops guidance, toolkits, and evaluation metrics for policymakers to implement and measure art-science-technology collaborations effectively.
• Network Expansion & Residencies: Builds and strengthens international networks—using micro-grants up to €60,000—to expand opportunities and residencies for artists.
• Focus 1 - Soft Skills Integration: Formulates and tests methods to embed creative practices into public and private sectors, boosting workplace problem-solving, critical thinking, and well-being.
• Focus 2 - Emerging Tech Pilots: Deploys at least three low-TRL pilot demonstrators to evaluate research-intensive technologies (e.g., spatial computing, LLMs, XR) through critical artistic engagement.

Call ID: HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-03
Call Title: AI integration in CCSI work practice: catalysing innovation and competitiveness

Call Type: Research and Innovation Action with Lump Sum Funding. The programme aims to fund 4 Projects with a contribution of around EUR 3.5 to EUR 4 Million per project under this call.

Topic: Artificial intelligence offers transformative opportunities for the cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI) by reshaping creative practices, automating low-creativity tasks, and enhancing accessibility. This interdisciplinary research project assesses AI readiness, addresses integration barriers, and co-creates scalable, ethical AI solutions to boost European competitiveness, preserve cultural diversity, and expand creative business models.

The project targets 4 distinct areas to drive ethical AI adoption across the CCSI:

• Strategic Guidance & Readiness: Assesses sectoral AI adoption barriers to deliver comprehensive toolkits, capacity-building materials, and policy recommendations.

• Infrastructure & Data Scenarios: Builds tailored co-creation scenarios leveraging federated data sources, European data spaces, and digital infrastructures like the ECCCH.

• Scalable Commercial Pilots (Option 1): Funds scalable pilots across value chains—using third-party grants—to introduce marketable AI-enabled services and new revenue streams.

• Ethical & Inclusive AI Solutions (Option 2): Pilots transparent AI tools that enhance linguistic diversity and accessibility for vulnerable groups, youth, and persons with disabilities.