Creative projects for Barnim: ELER exhibition starts on October 8th!

Creative projects for Barnim: ELER exhibition starts on October 8th!

Rural areas in Germany are the focus of an exciting traveling exhibition that will open on October 8, 2025 in the glass intermediate building of the Paul Wunderlich House in Eberswalde. The ELER traveling exhibition is presented at the instigation of the Local Action Group (LAG) Barnim and follows the motto: “Promoting people who take projects into their own hands and create values”.

This exhibition not only offers an overview of the funding priorities, but also highlights the specific projects from the EU's EAFRD funding fund that were realized in Brandenburg and Berlin. At the opening, District Administrator Daniel Kurth will emphasize the importance of these committed actors in rural areas and how important support from European funding is. Burkhard Horn, the chairman of LAG Barnim e.V., would like to use this exhibition to encourage people to develop creative projects to strengthen their region.

Insights into EAFRD funding policy

On ten double panels, eight funding topics are brought to life through 25 example projects. These topics range from biodiversity, environmental education and flood protection to tourism development and business investments. Given that around 717 million euros are available for investments in Brandenburg and Berlin, it is clear that there are great opportunities for the implementation of innovative ideas here.

The traveling exhibition has already completed stops in Potsdam, Forst and Ribbeck Castle and will be on display in Eberswalde until November 7th. During this time, visitors can take accompanying project sheets that illustrate the path of the EAFRD funds from the applicant to implementation. The exhibition can be visited during the week from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on Sundays).

EU instruments for rural development

But what exactly is EAFRD funding? The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) supports projects for the sustainable development of rural regions. This is not just about financial support, but also about involving local actors who work in action groups to develop regional development concepts. This is done as part of the LEADER program, which will claim 14% of EAFRD funds in Germany from 2023 and thus plays a central role in rural development.

In addition, the European Innovation Partnership “Agricultural Production and Sustainability” (EIP Agri) promotes cooperation between agriculture, research and advice. Germany was among the first EU member states to implement this initiative to support resource-efficient and environmentally conscious agriculture.

Overall, EAFRD funding not only shows the importance of investing in rural areas, but also the commitment of the people who develop and implement ideas locally. By the end of the 2021-2027 programming period, a total of 26.9 billion euros will be available from the EAFRD budget, supplemented by additional funds from the “NextGenerationEU” recovery instrument.

This traveling exhibition takes a clear look at the successes of EU funding in rural regions and at the same time creates an incentive to continue to develop and implement innovative projects in the future. So we can only hope that many creative minds find their way to the exhibition and get inspired!