Brussels, 9th April 2018

[UPDATE: A new letter with 70 signatories is available Boosting the EU culture budget – A call from Europe’s cultural & creative sectors.pdf]

Today, IMPALA and 66 organisations from across Europe’s cultural and creative sectors sent an open letter to the EU institutions urging them to give a significant boost to the EU budget dedicated to culture.

As the European Commission prepares to unveil its proposal for the next long-term EU budget at the beginning of May, cultural and creative sectors are joining forces to amplify their call for an increased EU culture budget.

Highlighting the contribution of culture to the social, economic and artistic development of Europe, the letter contrasts this with the small amount of EU money currently dedicated to culture (0,15% of the overall EU budget).

Helen Smith, IMPALA’s Executive Chair, commented: “If we are serious about Europe’s leading role in culture, now is the time to seize the opportunity to develop a real strategy and allocate a proportionate amount of the EU budget to this sector”.

The letter goes on to explain that despite being among the EU’s main assets, the cultural and creative sectors are notoriously underfinanced and their huge potential remains largely untapped.

Helen Smith continued: “Europe’s cultural and creative sectors are vibrant and eager to grow, but we could accomplish so much more with the right financial approach to culture”.

The letter calls on the EU to double the budget allocated to culture, and to ensure that cultural and creative sectors also have access to other sources of EU funding. 

Helen Smith concluded: “Europe’s creativity will never run out. We need to focus on the unique strength and diversity of our culture. Making sure that these sectors are a horizontal priority within EU funding schemes and programmes would be a great place to start”.

You can download the letter here: Boosting the EU culture budget – A call from Europe’s cultural & creative sectors.pdf

For any questions about the letter please contact mphilibert@impalamusic.org

Signatories:

ACT (Association of Commercial Television in Europe)

AEC (Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen)

AEPO-ARTIS (Association of European Performers’ Organisations)

AER (Association of European Radios)

Circostrada (European Network Circus and Street Arts)

Culture Action Europe

CEPIC (Centre of the Picture Industry)

Eurocinema

Europa Distribution

Europavox

EI (Europa International)

EAS (European Association for Music in schools)

EBU (European Broadcasting Union)

European Choral Association – Europa Cantat

ECCD (European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity)

ECSA (European Composer & Songwriter Alliance)

ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation)

ECCO (European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers’ Organisations

CEPI (European Coordination of Independent Producers)

ECF (European Cultural Foundation)

EFA (European Festival Association)

GESAC (European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers)

EIBF (European and International Booksellers Federation)

EJN (Europe Jazz Network)

ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts)

EMC (European Music Council)

EMEE (European Music Exporters Exchange)

EMU (European Music School Union)

ENCC (European Network of Cultural Centres)

ETC (European Theatre Convention)

EUYO (European Union Youth Orchestra)

EWC (European Writers’ Council)

Eurozine (European network of cultural journals and online magazine)

FIM (Fédération Internationale des Musiciens)

FIA (International Federation of Actors)

FIAD (International Federation of Film Distributors’ Associations)

IMMF (International Music Managers Forum)

FERA (Federation of European Film Directors)

FEP (Federation of European Publishers)

FSE (Federation of Screenwriters in Europe)

IN SITU (European Platform for Artistic Creation in Public Space)

IMPALA (Independent Music Companies Association)

IMPF (Independent Music Publishers Forum)

INES (Innovation Network of European Showcases)

ISFE (Interactive Software Federation of Europe)

IAO (International Artist Organisation)

IAMIC (International Association of Music Information Centres)

ICMP (International Confederation of Music Publishers)

FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations)

IFACCA (International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies)

IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts)

IVF (International Video Federation)

JMI (Jeunesses Musicales International)

KEA European Affairs

Live DMA (European network for music venues and festivals)

Liveurope

NEMO (Network of European Museum Organisations)

On the Move (Cultural Mobility Information Network)

Pearle* (Live Performance Europe)

REMA (Early Music in Europe)

Res Artis (Worldwide Network of Artist Residencies)

SAA (Society of Audiovisual Authors)

SHAPE (Sound, Heterogeneous Art and Performance in Europe)

TEH (Trans Europe Halles)

UNI MEI (UNI global union – Media and Entertainment International)

UNIC (International Union of Cinemas)

Yourope