ANIMA MUNDI hosts focus groups at ANIMAR : European Animation Convention in Barcelona

Between December 1st and 3rd, the ANIMA MUNDI consortium was one of the active participants of the ANIMAR - European Animation Convention, the fourth edition of the annual Think Tank of the European animation industry, in Barcelona, Spain. The event was curated by Animation in Europe, at the initiative of PROA, with the support of ICEC, ICEX, and ICAA.

Building on its mission to strengthen and connect Europe’s animation ecosystem, ANIMA MUNDI organised a series of dedicated focus groups as part of its academic research programme following the Think Tank sessions. These focus groups brought together producers, policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders to examine some of the sector’s most pressing strategic issues.

The discussions focused on the core areas studied by ANIMA MUNDI: the international promotion of European animation, assessing existing and future policies to support global visibility, international partnerships and co-productions; the examination the market structure of the European Animation Industry Ecosystem, with particular attention to distribution challenges and the sustainability of current business models in an evolving audiovisual landscape; the questions of Intellectual Property and Copyright management, including emerging concerns linked to artificial intelligence, authorship and rights protection.

ANIMA MUNDI’s involvement in ANIMAR highlights the importance of bridging academic research, policy and industry practice. While the Think Tank gathered 52 experts from 15 European countries, representing EU institutions, regulators, film funds, public broadcasters and producers, ANIMA MUNDI’s focus groups and participation helped map these conversations into concrete research insights, feeding directly into the project’s ongoing work packages.

Joined by REBOOT and CRESCINE, ANIMA MUNDI hosted a panel presenting cross-insights into the European Film Industry. By contributing its research-driven perspective to ANIMAR, ANIMA MUNDI reinforced the importance of coordinated European action to enhance visibility, protect creative value and ensure the long-term competitiveness of European animation on the global stage.