Category: CAE

Culture Action Europe’s Position Paper on “New European Bauhaus”

Published on Monday, October 26th, CAE reacted to Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal on a “New European Bauhaus” to realize the New Green Deal.  CAE welcomes the initiative as it paves the way to a long-awaited high-level recognition of the role of culture in the implementation of the sustainable development goals.  But, focused on the creation hard infrastructures, the proposal minimizes the full capacity of culture and the arts and brings also some controversies: 

New European Bauhaus: a promising intention and a much needed open debate

European Democracy Action Plan

The European Commission launched a public consultation on the development of a European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP). On September 14th Culture Action Europe and many other European networks and institutions welcomed the initiative and called the Commission in an open letter to reflect in it especially the status of the freedom of artistic expression as a fundamental aspect of cultural rights. The letter submits the following recommendations to the Commission: 1. Explicitly recognize freedom of expression in all its forms. 2. Develop appropriate instruments at EU level whereby artistic freedom can be monitored and assessed as one of the legitimate indicators of democratic and cultural health. 3. Foresee a facility through which artists can report violations of their fundamental rights and access support for their legal assistance and relocation. 4. Establish an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights, including artistic freedom. Read the complete letter here.

Creatives Unite – Information on response to Covid-19

The Creatives Unite platform is operated by the European Creative Hubs Network and the Goethe-Institut as part of the Creative FLIP project.

The site went online in May and has been designed as the the platform for the cultural sector to share information and good practices. Creatives Unite aims to gather all information and initiatives of the CCI sector in the EU that arose in response to the COVID-19 crisis as well as to offers the opportunity to co-create and share solutions.

On June 26 the platform invites for an online dialoge of representatives from the Cultural and Creative Sectors with Commissioner Gabriel, the European Parliament and the Council: United for a New Future 

Uphold culture in the EU budget

A call for a central place for culture in the EU long-term recovery budget

Despite its historic relevance, the revised Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)  proposal presented by the European Commission on 27 May is unambitious for culture. Member States now have the opportunity to show that a forward-looking strategy for the Europe of tomorrow does not leave culture and its ecosystem behind. 

Ahead of the European Council meeting on 19 June, Culture Action Europe and the members of the European Secretariat of German Culture NGOs call on the EU Member States to:

  1. Double the budget of Creative Europe to 2,6 billion euros, as the core programme for reinforcing European cultural cooperation.
  2. Make sure that the additional funds stemming from the Next Generation EU initiative, such as REACT-EU, reach cultural operators.

There will be no real recovery for Europe if culture is left behind.

Read the whole statement here and join with your signature.

Joint Policy Paper “Beyond the Urban”

Culture Action Europe (CAE), the European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC), IETM – International network for contemporary performing arts, and Trans Europe Halles (TEH) have published a joint policy paper on the significance of culture and the arts in non-urban and peripheral areas of Europe. Based on many years of experience, the paper identifies challenges for the many existing and potential projects in those areas, and offer policy solutions to support them.

“Beyond Urban – Contemporary arts and culture in non-urban areas as keys to a sustainable and cohesive Europe”

COVID19: Appeal of European Culture NGOs to Governments

Cultural NGOs in Europe are taking their civic responsibility to mitigate the spread of COVID19 by  suspending events and travels. Whether employed or freelance, workers in the cultural sector, who are often in an already precarious situation, are now facing a sudden and dramatic loss of income.

Supporting an appeal by PEARLE* and others they urge all governments to adopt emergency measures that may adequately support the sustainability of the cultural sector.