Summary of “Culture: the Compass for Europe’s Future”

On 4 February, the three organizations behind the initiative organized Cultural Deal for Europe (CDEU), Culture Action Europe, European Cultural Foundation and Europa Nostra in collaboration with Bozar organized the event Culture: the Compass for Europe’s Future. During a full afternoon of debates and conversations, a stronger policy and the need for a greater inclusion of culture in policy and funding for culture from the future EU were discussed by several speakers, among others:

• Nicolas Schmit – former European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights,
• Hans Heide – Member of the European Parliament in the CULT Committee
• George Haeusler – Director, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission

The main issues presented before the event were:

• How can culture and cultural heritage take center stage through ambitious leadership in the future of Europe?
• How can culture and cultural heritage foster a European sentiment and a common public sphere?
• What can be done together to strengthen democratic, free, plural and peaceful life in common?

The main arguments come from an increasingly turbulent political climate around the world, with panelists arguing that Europe and the EU need to take up more space. Not through our domestic market or just by making technological advances, but by making culture, creativity and the democratic values that are at the heart of European culture a norm among the people of Europe. We need to be stronger in how we deal with the situation when our own political arena is challenged by parties and politicians who undermine those values.

To do this, not only better education and stronger voices are needed, but also financial support, which was one of the other major discussions: EU funding for the cultural sector. Currently, only 0.2% of the EU budget is allocated to the Creative Europe cultural programme, which corresponds to €2.44 billion for the period 2021-2027. The Cultural Deal for Europe advocates for a doubling of EU cultural funding to 2% of the budget and a broader integration of culture into EU policies. The policy areas at the heart of the discussions were mainly democracy, security, sustainability and the economy, but areas such as education and international networks were also addressed.

The points we can take away from the panel discussions are:

• Culture and cultural heritage in the Multiannual Financial Framework: CDEU calls for at least 2% of the future EU budget to be dedicated to culture, cultural heritage and creative sectors through a culture program. According to estimates by the European Parliament’s Research Service, every euro (€) invested in the creative and cultural sectors at EU level generates a return of up to €11 in GDP.
• Culture and Democracy: The recommendation to make “Culture & Democracy” a pillar of the future Cultural Compass, supported by initiatives promoting open, inclusive and safe physical and digital spaces for public debate and democratic expression. Culture and cultural heritage must also become a strategic method in the European Democracy Shield. Culture acts as an engine of democratic engagement by creating space for reflection, debate and civic participation. In a world undergoing rapid change, the role of culture is needed to help societies navigate through complex political and social challenges. This includes investing in libraries, museums and digital platforms to foster open and inclusive debate.
• Culture and security: Europe needs a comprehensive cultural strategy that includes a common space for international cultural relations within the future Cultural Compass. In an era of geopolitical conflicts and information wars, culture and cultural heritage play a crucial role in bringing reconciliation and peace together. Cultural heritage has often been targeted in conflicts, underlining the need for protection measures. At the same time, culture offers a platform for building relationships and creating long-term stability. The Cultural Deal for Europe advocates a European approach to cultural diplomacy that is integrated into EU defense and security strategies. This includes high security standards for cultural heritage, contingency plans and initiatives to strengthen international cultural relations.
• Culture and sustainability: CDEU calls on EU institutions, Member States and governments to integrate culture and cultural heritage into their sustainable development strategies to promote the health, well-being and prosperity of both individuals and communities. Culture and creative sectors contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future by fostering social innovation and local development. Beyond economic growth, culture improves quality of life and contributes to green transitions. One of the key proposals is to establish culture and cultural heritage as a stand-alone Sustainable Development Goal within the UN 2030 Agenda beyond 2030, and calls on EU institutions, Member States and cities to integrate culture into their sustainability strategies to promote well-being and social cohesion.
• Culture and funding: The cultural sector is important not only for the EU’s external action and continued work, but also internally. Culture is incredibly important not only for work, education and jobs but also for our social life, as demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is why more funding should be put into culture and creative works. Our vulnerability and social community needs culture not only in the crisis of external political events in the US, China or Russia but also inwards when we face political and social challenges ourselves. With culture we overcome the political challenges we face.

The discussions result in the same position, that culture is more than just another sector – it is the key to Europe’s future. Hopes are high that the European Commission will hear the arguments and that the new mandate will see greater inclusion of culture in policy.

Upcoming webinars and information sessions from Culture Action Europe:

• March 11, 4-5pm ‘Cultural Democracy‘
• April 15, 4-5pm ‘Culture & Sustainability‘
• May 13, 4-5pm ‘Intrinsic value of culture‘
• June 4-7 BEYOND 2025, Turin Italy

For more information on the CDEU campaign and Culture Action Europe’s work on the inclusion of culture in EU policies, you can read about them here.

The webinar from February 4 can be viewed via Culture Action Europe’s LinkedIn here.

Culture Action Europe is a European network of organizations, artists, policy makers and others. Culture Action Europe is the political voice of the cultural sector in Europe, a platform for knowledge, information and debate on arts and cultural policies.

Illustration: Menah Wellen