ERA’s ranking - a revelation

Diana Neagu scores twice, as the leading voice in the ERA scholarship ranking

This year’ scholarship competitions couldn’t be more full of surprises, for the 8 respected jurors with background in academia, cultural & design lobby and creativity at large placed Diana Neagu’s application on the top of ERA hierarchy.  Congratulations, Diana, for the second time !

To celebrate the first 20 years of giving chances to Romanian talent to learn, network and perform in the most prestigious international environments, the ERA – Equity, Representation & Accessibility Scholarship is committed to empowering talents from marginalized, underrepresented or discriminated communities, focusing on identity factors such as ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, religious beliefs, place of birth, or socio-economic background.

The categories to which ERA candidates belong are: LGBTQ+ minorities | creators with a challenging socio-economic background, at risk of exclusion | single moms, solopreneurs performing in creative industries | Talent coming from small cities, with limited opportunities | young talent with a challenging family context. 

Congratulations to everyone who accepted this challenge and opened up, solving the brief with authenticity, insight, and flair and a big round of applause for Vlad Sima, Georgiana Chitac, Ioana Astefanoaiei, Roberta Giuglea, Anamaria Dica, Iuliana Vasilachi, Bereczki Orsolya, Crina Tudorache. 

What does the jury say about the winner's applications?

“From the letter to the video, everything exudes originality and authenticity, with a strong emotional impact. The speech follows a tight logic, yet is warmed by the natural flow of expression,“ commented Carmen Ion, Boovie’s founder.

“The story is personal and deeply rooted in the author's real-life experiences,“ added the cultural analyst Oana Nasui, alongside Adelina Butnaru: “The application’s playful tone shows openness to experimentation, while inspiring sincerity and naturalness.“

What are thoughts of the winner?

“I always felt a bit different, more quirky than others, growing up in a society with such a strict guidebook on how women should look, feel or what hobbies to pick. But I am grateful to have found an industry and job that champions these qualities in people and encourages being your unapologetic unique self. Going to Cannes is any creative’s dream and I am beyond honoured for this opportunity to learn from other outstanding creatives.“ says Diana Neagu.

Something nice for the top 8

To make sure the top 8 RHA & ERA candidates who fearlessly opened their world and unveiled their most creative selves stay on the path, well-deserved goodies are on the way: a scholarship for the #FutureProofCreativity 2025 module, a new opportunity for a Cannes destination via the Young Lions competition to take place later in the year and access to all #TheAlternativeSchool events, workshops and learning modules in 2025. 

What’s next ?

Submissions for the ERA scholarship are now closed, but we’re excited to welcome more incredible, talented candidates for the 2026.

If interested in ERA drop us a line and simultaneously follow our social media for news, there are always goodies to be discovered.

When action speaks louder than words

“Diversity, accessibility & inclusion” are big words expressed by big companies, but as we all know, action always speaks louder. 

We are currently seeking visionary partners, ready to champion Romanian talent on the world’s most influential stages, breaking all limits. 

If your company shares our vision and resonates to one of the top 5 ERA categories, we’d love to connect—let’s make an impact together, breaking the ceiling and making the improbable, possible for those performing against all odds.

The 2025 ERA’S categories are: LGBTQ+ minorities | Creators with a challenging socio-economic background, at risk of exclusion | Single moms, solopreneurs performing in creative industries |People coming from small cities, with limited opportunities | Young talents with a challenging family context. 

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