Culture in regions and cities

The European Alliance for Culture and Arts regretts that the 7th cohesion report of the European Commission, which was presented at the opening of the European Week of Regions and Cities in October, does not take into account culture and the arts in its findings related to the measuring of social progress, education, well-being, health and urban infrastructures and in general in the future shape of cohesion policy.

The Alliance has called European, regional and local policy makers to integrate culture and the arts in the post 2020 objectives and future evaluation criteria of the social cohesion strategy.

CAE reflection paper: Future of Europe

Culture Action Europe’s Reflection Paper „Belonging and Becoming: A cultural response to the White Paper on the Future of Europe and the accompanying reflection papers“ proposes a first answer to this question, reflecting the voices of over 500 cultural players throughout Europe:

• The Cultural Sector’s assessment of the 5 Scenarios
• Guiding principles and actions for a 6th Scenario
• A cultural response to the European Commission reflection papers
– Reflection Paper on the social dimension of Europe
– Reflection Paper on harnessing globalisation
– Reflection Paper on the future of European defence
– Reflection Paper on the future of EU finances

Upcoming IETM meetings 2017/18

IETM – the international network for contemporary performing arts – is a network of over 500 performing arts organisations and individual members working in the contemporary performing arts worldwide: theatre, dance, circus, interdisciplinary live art forms, new media. IETM’s members – more than 500 from over 50 countries – include festivals, companies, producers, theatres, research and resource centers, universities and institutional bodies.
Upcoming plenary meetings:
Brussels, 23 November 2017 to 26 November 2017: CAN WE TALK?
Porto, 26 to 29 April 2018: OTHER CENTRES
Munich, 31 October to 4 November 2018: RES REPUBLICA EUROPA

CAE statement on the European approach to Sustainable Development and the Agenda 2030

CAE has published the following statement on July 7, 2017:

A sustainable future can be achieved with a fundamental cultural change

In this crucial moment when the Agenda 2030 is being adapted to the European dimension, Culture Action Europe:

  1. Praises the forward-looking vision of the European Parliament (EP), the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), which have recognised the fundamental role of culture in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
    Welcomes the recognition of the Parliament and the EESC of the role of culture in external relations and development policy.
  2. Endorses the Parliament’s call for proper support for cultural institutions and organisations in delivering on the SDGs.
  3. Strongly supports the Parliament’s call to make culture an integral part of the Commission’s action for sustainability. Welcomes the recognition of the role of culture in promoting economic development, job creation, wellbeing, promoting democracy, social justice and solidarity, fostering cohesion, fighting social exclusion, poverty and generational and demographic disparities. Therefore, joins the Parliament in stressing the urgent need to mainstream culture in the objectives, definitions, tools and evaluation criteria of the Commission’s SDG strategy.
  4. Reiterates its disappointment with the European Commission’s Communication on the next steps for a sustainable European future as it represents a missed opportunity to recognise the fundamental role of culture in driving sustainable development. Yet, acknowledges that the Staff working document accompanying the Communication represents a first approach to develop European action in the field of culture and sustainability.
  5. Stresses the need to perform a sound gap analysis that takes culture into consideration in the second working strand developing the EU’s long-term vision and the focus of sectoral policies after 2020.
    Remains concerned about the lack of recognition, on the part of the Council, of culture as a key driver for the EU response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: a sustainable European future can only be reached with a full understanding and meaningful use of the cultural forces that underpin change.
  6. Calls therefore to include innovative and forward looking cultural indicators in the next revision of the Indicators for monitoring the SDGs in an EU context. CAE stands ready to gather evidence and support the European institutions in this process.

The cultural sector has joined forces to raise awareness of the critical importance of culture to the Sustainable Development Goals. Together with our partners on European and international level and civil society organisations in neighbouring fields, CAE will continue to advocate for a sustainable future that includes culture and will monitor and communicate relevant developments in this field.

Culture Action Europe works to promote a better understanding of the interdependence between culture, including notably through the international campaign The future we want includes culture (2012).