Eliconie

Culture Action Europe reacts to a new Creative Europe proposal

Today, the European Commission presented their proposal for the Creative Europe programme 2021-2027. Culture Action Europe (CAE) welcomes continuity of the programme as a promising development strongly promoted by CAE and its members.
Under the “Investing in people” chapter of the EU’s long-term budget proposal, new Creative Europe offers a more balanced approach across social, economic, artistic and cultural priorities. These objectives are in line with CAE’s analysis of the current programme and the recommendations arising from our members.

Culture Action Europe is happy to read that the new programme promises increased opportunities for cross-border cooperation and cross-border projects, including through simplification mechanisms and greater flexibility enabling easier access to the programme for small players - a long standing demand of the cultural sector. Welcomed novelties include a focus on mobility for artists and cultural and creative operators and a broader approach to the digital transformation that affects the cultural and creative sectors. Equally awaited is the continued support for European cultural networks, recognising in this way, their role in articulating the European cultural space.
Beyond networks, cooperation and platform projects open to all sectors, the future Creative Europe programme places a focus on specific cultural sectors (heritage, architecture, music, literature, design fashion and cultural tourism). In a time characterised by hybridisation of practices, convergence and increasing cross-sectoral cooperation, CAE believes that sufficient financial resources must be made available to ensure equal support across all sectors. Differential public intervention is better understood as a means to support the development of weaker sectors, or segments of a sector, rather than reinforcing those already well established.
The proposal recognises the importance of safeguarding artistic freedom in the current EU political context. However, CAE regrets that no tangible steps have been taken to guarantee freedom of artistic expression and cultural rights next to the proposed, and equally necessary, focus on media freedom and pluralism.
As announced by the Commision on the 2 May, the proposed Creative Europe total budget increases from 1.4 to 1.8 billions (+27%). This includes a 35% increase from € 450 million to €609 million for the CULTURE strand, 32% increase of the MEDIA strand and a reduced CROSS SECTORAL strand (€ 160 million). The previous cross-sectoral line included € 121 million allocated to the Culture and Creative Sectors Loan guarantee facility, which will be moved to the InvestEU fund. CAE supports the cross-sectoral strand in this new proposal for its potential to foster a forward-looking development of artistic and creative practices if a balanced, cross-sectoral and trans-sectoral approach is privileged in the implementation.
The new proposals included in the Creative Europe 2021-2027, together with the New Agenda for Culture published on 22 May diverge in level of ambition, from the proposed financial allocation to culture in the MFF. Acting decisively upon the digital transition, building synergies between culture, education and R+D+i and ensuring a fair cultural ecosystem for artists and creators are crucial areas to guarantee the common European assets of tomorrow. Importantly, current actions are chronically underfunded, as shown in mid-term evaluation of the Creative Europe programme (2014-2020) published on 30 April. Thus, a double increase of the next Creative Europe programme and ensuring 1% for culture in each policy field is necessary to achieve EU added value and the desired impact in both current and future areas of EU action. We encourage Culture Action Europe members, partners and allies to continue advocating for strengthened support for culture both at the European and Member States level. Translate and use this template letter to reach your Minister of Culture and Minister of Finance. In addition, you can contact your national representative at EU level and Members of the European Parliament calling to guarantee a substantial increase of the budget for culture during the negotiations ahead. Do not forget to sign and share the CAE manifesto.

In forthcoming months the European Council and the European Parliament will react to the proposal and importantly, negotiate the final budget associated to the programme within the context of the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF).

Further news:
legal basis
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/budget-may2018-establishing-creative-europe-regulation_en.pdf

Complementary information about the activities
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/budget-may2018-establishing-creative-europe-annex_en.pdf

EUROPEAN CITIZENS AND CULTURAL ACTORS SAY: “SUPPORTING
CULTURE IS SUPPORTING EUROPE!”
https://cultureactioneurope.org/files/2018/02/1forCultureCampaign-Letter-Template.pdf

The Value and Values of Culture
https://cultureactioneurope.org/knowledge/the-value-and-values-of-culture/