Madrid, December 12 – The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, today presented the Strategic Plan for the Audiovisual Industry, an ambitious initiative backed by over 40 million euros for the 2026-2029 period. The plan seeks to elevate the competitiveness and international standing of Madrid’s audiovisual sector, stimulating its growth and strengthening its economic contribution to the region by establishing it as a leading global production hub.
Madrid: The Ideal Location for Audiovisual Investment
“The Community of Madrid is the perfect place to invest in film shoots, series, animation, or video game development,” emphasized Díaz Ayuso. She highlighted the region’s top-tier infrastructure, world-class production and post-production centers, and a high concentration of suppliers, all within an hour’s reach. Madrid’s rich cinematic history, as a setting for classics like ‘For a Few Dollars More’ and ‘Doctor Zhivago’, and recent international series such as ‘Elite’ and ‘Money Heist’, further solidifies its appeal. The upcoming Woody Allen film, to be shot entirely in Madrid and bearing the city’s name in its title, underscores this global recognition.
A Comprehensive Strategy with Five Key Pillars
The Strategic Plan, developed in collaboration with the Film Madrid Region office and the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster, is structured around five core pillars, twenty lines of work, and 45 distinct measures. This comprehensive approach aims to address various aspects of the industry to ensure sustainable growth and international visibility.
1. Boosting Competitiveness and Financial Access
The first pillar focuses on enhancing the industry’s competitiveness through increased aid and new tools to facilitate access to financing. The regional government will boost subsidies for feature films, short films, audiovisual project development, and video game creation by over 3 million euros, reaching nearly 6 million euros. This investment aims to drive sector growth and support creative talent, particularly among young professionals.
2. Internationalization and Investment Attraction
Under the second pillar, Madrid will implement a program with Invest in Madrid and increase its presence at national and international festivals and professional events. The plan also includes promoting international events like Iberseries Platino Industria and Ventana Madrid, further cementing Madrid’s position on the global stage.
3. Nurturing Talent and Innovation
The third pillar highlights talent and innovation through specialized training, support for innovation labs, and audiovisual literacy initiatives in collaboration with the Community of Madrid’s School of Cinematography and Audiovisual (ECAM). Additionally, workshops and training activities will be organized with the Audiovisual Cluster to enhance professional qualifications.
4. Promoting Audiovisual Culture
The fourth pillar is dedicated to promoting and valuing audiovisual culture. This includes initiatives for all Madrid residents, such as the traditional Short Film Week and a new cinematic program across the region’s municipalities. The plan also recognizes the significance of major awards like the Platino Awards for Ibero-American Cinema.
5. Co-governance and Sector Monitoring
Finally, the plan advocates for a co-governance model that ensures the participation of Madrid’s audiovisual ecosystem, in partnership with the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster. It also proposes establishing a sector monitor to generate reports and data for analyzing the industry’s evolution in the coming years.
Economic Impact and Future Outlook
The audiovisual industry is the largest contributor to Madrid’s Gross Domestic Product among creative industries, solidifying its role as the leading audiovisual production hub in the Hispanic world and Southern Europe. The sector, comprising over 3,500 companies, contributes approximately 2.6% to the region’s GDP, with a direct economic contribution of 2.3 billion euros and a total impact reaching 7.2 billion euros. Its significance extends to employment, supporting 2.8% of the labor market, directly employing 30,000 workers, and indirectly sustaining over 100,000 jobs.
The Strategic Plan underscores Madrid’s commitment to fostering a dynamic and internationally competitive audiovisual sector, promising a vibrant future for the region’s creative economy.
