Act for Culture in Europe!
The newsletter of the we are more campaign # 3 - May 2011
(c) www.cultureactioneurope.org
La version française ci-dessous
EDITORIAL ›››
Dear readers,
Welcome to the latest edition of the we are more campaign newsletter, and a special warm welcome to all the new supporters who signed the manifesto in the last months and who are now receiving this newsletter for the first time!
Since the launch in February, more than 10.000 individuals have now signed the manifesto! As you will see from the news below, the mobilization around the campaign across Europe has also continued thanks to a growing number of national campaign coordination groups.
Following the publication of the European Commission’s budget proposal at the end of June, July will see talks start on culture’s share of the next EU budget beyond 2013. Direct support for arts and culture currently only represents 0.05% of the total EU budget. In order to ensure vital support for culture in the next EU budget, we need to collect as many signatures as possible before July! Help us reach our target of 15.000 signatures by installing the iFrame introduced below and spreading the word through your social networks!
Rumours about what the budget proposal will look like are already multiplying. To what extent can we expect it to be creative? Will the Commission be brave enough to propose radical changes and use all the potential of the cultural sector to achieve the objectives of the EU 2020 strategy? And if so, what kind of arguments will the cultural sector have to develop to use in their advocacy actions in the upcoming months? To provide you with some initial food for thought, we have prepared a short article on the topic.
Apart from collecting signatures and developing our arguments, it is also important that we continue to stress the urgency of continued support to culture in Europe by passing the message to regional, national and European decision-makers in person. On the 20th of April, Culture Action Europe joined forces with the European Opera Days for a press conference in the presence of Commissioner Vassiliou, and yesterday, 25th of May, we were presenting the campaign to the Culture Committee of the European Parliament here in Brussels – highlighting all your signatures as part of the presentation!
With warm regards,
The Culture Action Europe team.
CAMPAIGN NEWS ›››
More than 10.000 signatures since the launch – help us get to 15.000 by July!
More than 10.000 composers, nurses, actors, business analysts, students and teachers from across Europe and beyond have already signed the manifesto. As in the loved and hated Eurovision Song Contest, you can view the support by country and compete with your neighbours. At the moment, France is in the lead with 1148 signatures, followed by Belgium, Italy and the UK. Sign the manifesto NOW and make sure your neighbouring countries follow your good example.
Collect signatures in real time via your website, install the iFrame now!
Thanks to the help of our strategic partner the European Cultural Foundation, an iFrame has been developed that makes it possible for everyone to feature a small version of the manifesto signature box on their websites, blogs and forums. Help us reach the target of 15.000 signatures before July by placing the iFrame on your website and spreading the word!
Vassiliou commits to strengthen EU support to culture at EOD press conference
During the fifth edition of the European Opera Days (EOD) on 7-8 May, 103 opera houses in 23 countries opened their doors to transmit their passion for this art to new and existing audiences. This year, to highlight the urgency of continued support to culture in Europe, the EOD joined forces with the we are more campaign in organizing a press conference during which EU Commissioner Vassiliou made key statements in support for culture in the next EU budget.
Big interest in meeting on the future EU Culture Programme in Paris
On the 22nd of April, French members and partner organisations invited artists and cultural operators to discuss the future of the EU Culture Programme, and the way to mobilise support for the campaign in France. More than 80 participants attended the meeting that was hosted by the Maison de l’Europe. In the presence of the Ministry of Culture and with the support of key players on the cultural scene, strategies and actions were devised to make sure the voice of culture is heard in the upcoming budget discussions. Follow-up events are already in preparation, more info on our Facebook page and blog soon!
Hectic spring for Swedish national coordination group!
The Swedish national coordination group, coordinated by Intercult, continues to be very active. In the beginning of March, the group sent a joint communication on the next EU Culture Programme to the Swedish Ministry of Culture, and also met with ministry representatives to present the campaign. Representatives of the group have also recruited support during several public events, including the IETM Meeting in Stockholm. On this occasion, Riksteatern printed and distributed a campaign postcard in Swedish.
we are more national coordination groups set off in Germany and Poland
More and more members of Culture Action Europe are joining forces and setting up national co-ordination groups. Following the Swedish and French initiatives, Polish members will gather in the upcoming weeks to discuss the implementation of the campaign in their country. German members also started to prepare a first meeting in the upcoming month. Many actions are under preparation so get in touch with the co-ordinating organisation in Poland and our members in Germany for more information about their plans, and get involved!
On-the-Move and PRACTICS call for improved conditions for cultural mobility
On the 19th of May, EU Ministers of Culture met in Brussels and adopted recommendations on mobility information services. On the same day, On-the-Move and PRACTICS organized a press conference in Budapest to welcome the recommendations but also to call on EU and national decision-makers to further step up their efforts in improving regulatory conditions, and visa rules in particular, as well as ensuring sufficient funding for mobility, underlining also their engagement and support to the we are more campaign.
BRUSSELS NEWS ›››
EU direct support to culture and cinema beyond 2013 already under threat?
The Commission proposal on the ‘financial perspectives’, with top line budget envelopes, will be published at the end of June, followed by detailed proposals for each policy instrument in the second half of 2011. Rumours of possible cuts or drastic changes in the Culture and Media programmes have already emerged, and led to civil society mobilisations as well as a formal expressions of concern by several Ministers of Culture, who discussed the topic informally during the last Council meeting.
Culture in the EU2020 strategy
The EU Hungarian Presidency concentrated its efforts in the cultural policy field in highlighting the ways in which culture contributes to the objectives of the EU2020 strategy. Following a conference in March, Ministers of Culture adopted conclusions last week calling for the full recognition of the potential of culture and creative industries as drivers for development. They also asked the Commission and the Member States to translate this recognition in appropriate financial commitments at all levels of the implementation of the EU 2020 strategy.
Culture and the structural funds
Demonstrating that culture plays an important role in implementing the EU 2020 strategy will also be key to open up the future EU Structural Funds. As stated in the Council work plan for Culture 2011-2014, the new Cultural Industries Working Group of the Open Method of Coordination met in April to develop, as one of their first tasks, a policy handbook ‘to promote the integration of culture in regional and local development policies’. The Structured Dialogue Platform on the potential of cultural and creative industries also organised a workshop on the topic last 17 February, and will hopefully be working closely with the OMC group in the coming months.
More than 1000 amendments to the EP draft report on the future EU budget
The draft report of the EP SURE Committee – a 'Special Committee on Policy Challenges and Budgetary Resources for a Sustainable European Union after 2013' - was published in March. More than 1000 amendments are on the table, and will have to be negotiated before the adoption of the report in the Committee meeting scheduled for 26 May, and in plenary beginning of June. For the moment, culture appears on page 15, in the ‘Citizenship’ section. On 28 June, members of the EP Green group will be organising a half-day conference on the role of artists in social inclusion. Another opportunity to underline the importance of better integrating culture in the next EU budget.
The European Agenda for Culture, act two!
As already mentioned above, the new Working Groups of the Open method of Coordination (on access to culture and intercultural dialogue, cultural and creative industries, skills and mobility, and the mobility of collections) held their first meetings during the first quarter of 2011. As also foreseen in the Council work plan, the Hungarian Presidency will be organising a joint informal meeting between senior officials of Ministries of Culture and senior officials responsible for culture in Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Pecs at the end of June. The Structured Dialogue Platforms will, on their side, hold their annual plenary meetings next 25-26-27 May in Brussels.
ADVOCACY TOOLKIT ›››
we are more advocacy summer in Poland
The EU Polish Presidency is expected to be a key advocate and partner for the culture sector, and the programme of the Presidency in the field of culture will include a number of important events. The we are more campaign will be participating in some key events: firstly on a panel at a conference on ‘Competences in Culture’ (18-20 July, Warsaw), secondly as a partner in the Open Cultural Spa (28-30 July, Sopot) and thirdly at the European Culture Congress (8-10 September, Wroclaw) where an advocacy training session for cultural operators will be part of the programme.
New cultural statistics for your advocacy actions
This April, Eurostat published the second Cultural Statistics pocketbook. It contains updated data on cultural industries, employment, participation, as well as on perceptions of culture and private expenditures for culture. Even if a new, improved European framework for cultural statistics is not expected until the end of 2011, the pocketbook still contains some interesting data, which will prove to be very useful in our advocacy actions. For instance, did you know that 92% of Europeans think culture should have an important place in the European Union?
Yes we can (too)! Transatlantic inspiration
American for the Arts has been fighting for years to defend the National Endowment for the Arts. It has also developed efficient and sophisticated advocacy tools promoting arts education, arts and civic engagement, or the contribution of the arts to the economy. While the American context is very different, the experience and successes of Americans for the Arts can serve as inspiration for arts advocates on our continent too.
CULTURE ACTION EUROPE NEWS ›››
Save the date – our AGM will take place on 19 October in Brussels!
This year, Culture Action Europe will hold its Annual General Assembly just before the European Culture Forum, which will take place on 20-21 October in Brussels. Culture Action Europe’s 19th members’ meeting will look at the perspectives for further campaign mobilization and prepare for a collective presence at the Forum. Members are asked to already mark Wednesday 19 October in their calendars, detailed information will follow mid-July.
Welcome to our 4 new members!
Culture Action Europe warmly welcomes its four new members: the National Rural Touring Forum - an organisation that represents rural touring schemes and rural arts development agencies across England and Wales; the French organisation UFISC (Union Fédérale d’Intervention des Structures Culturelles); the European Biennial of Contemporary Art Manifesta, and HALMA, a network of European literary institutions.
Join Culture Action Europe
A growing coalition gathering committed cultural operators who want to make culture a driving force in Europe is a key element to our common success. So do not hesitate to contact us (advocate@cultureactioneurope.org) if you want to be part of this movement too! Detailed information about membership is available here.
MEMBERS’ NEWS ›››
PEARLE* – PERFORMING ARTS EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATIONS LEAGUE EUROPE
Mobility information services for artists and culture professionals
Read More...
CULTUUR-ONDERNEMEN
Pan-European project to investigate creative interventions in business
Read More...
BJCEM – BIENNALE DES JEUNES CREATEURS DE L’EUROPE ET DE LA MEDITERRANEE
2011 Biennale, Thessaloniki/Rome/Casablanca, October 2011-February 2012
Read More...
JMI – JEUNESSES MUSICALES INTERNATIONAL
Anti-Corruption music competition
Read More...
TRANS EUROPE HALLES
Leaders Lab Talk #1, 9-10 May, Lund
Read More...
ETC – EUROPEAN THEATRE CONVENTION
Conference and Festival: ‘Towards a European drama repertoire’ and NEAT11, 26 May – 12 June, Nottingham Playhouse
Read More...
CREATIVE CITY CHALLENGE / TILLT
European Creativity and Innovation day, 27 May
Read More...
EUROPEAN BUREAU OF LIBRARY, INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION ASSOCIATIONS
One Profession, One Future?, 19th Annual Conference, 27 May, Màlaga
Read More...
ETC – EUROPEAN THEATRE CONVENTION
International Theatre Youth Forum, 24 June – 4 July, Bad Hersfeld Festival
Read More...
IETM – INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR CONTEMPORARY PERFORMING ARTS
IETM Autumn Plenary Meeting, 6 - 9 October, Krakow
Read More...
CCE – CREATIVITY, CULTURE AND EDUCATION
Conference “Artists in Creative Education”, 6 October, Brussels
Read More...
ENCC – EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CULTURAL CENTRES
ShortCut Warsaw, 16-18 November, Warsaw
Read More...
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Culture Action Europe is funded with support from the European
Commission and the European Cultural Foundation. This communication
reflects the views of Culture Action Europe and the Commission cannot
be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information
contained therein. we are more is a Europe-wide arts advocacy campaign
set up by Culture Action Europe in strategic partnership with the European
Cultural Foundation.

Culture Action Europe - Rue de la Science 10, BE - 1000 Brussels - T
+32 (0)-534 40 02, F +32 (0)-2 534 11 50
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