Brussels, 17th June 2020

On 19 June, EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss the Commission’s proposed recovery fund and EU long-term budget.

Ahead of this meeting, 94 organisations representing the whole spectrum of Europe’s cultural and creative sector have issued a joint call for strong and systemic support measures at EU and national level to recover from the crisis.

Together, they call on Member States and the European Parliament:

• To push for a substantial increase of the Creative Europe budget. The letters’ signatories fully support the European Parliament’s proposal for a budget of €2.8bn.
• To guarantee that the entire sector can benefit appropriately from the recovery plan’s various instruments.

As far as the cultural and creative sector is concerned, the picture presented in the EU’s recovery plan is uncertain. Culture is rightly mentioned as one of 14 priority sectors hit hardest by the crisis, with an estimated 80% drop in turnover for some parts of the sector. However, guarantees are needed to ensure an appropriate share of the recovery budget will reach the sector’s creators, professionals and businesses.

In addition, the proposed budget for the only EU’s programme providing direct support to culture, Creative Europe, is being cut to €1.5bn. Although it’s a step up from the current programme, it is a substantial decrease compared to the €1.85bn (€1.6bn in constant prices) the commission proposed for the same programme back in 2018, and a far cry from the European parliament’s proposed €2.8bn.

IMPALA’s Executive Chair Helen Smith said: “A number of programmes and instruments which cultural and creative SMEs can in principle benefit from in the recovery plan are being introduced or seeing an increase. We need to see how exactly the sector is being prioritised as we have been hearing from the commission. Clarification and guarantees are needed.”

Helen Smith added: “The commission’s announcement regarding Creative Europe is a missed opportunity. Together with the whole sector, we now call on the European parliament and member states to push for this programme to be increased to a level that is on par with the sector’s contribution to the EU’s economy and wellbeing.”

At the end of April, IMPALA published a proposal for a recovery roadmap, forming the basis of a 5-year recovery strategy focussing on boosting investment, growth and jobs through Europe’s cultural and creative sectors.  

The letter is available here and was signed by the following organisations: Joint sector call – Investing in Europe’s next generation by investing in culture_99 signatories.pdf

1. AEPO ARTIS – Association of European Performers’ Organisations

2. AER – Association of European Radios

3. Animation Europe

4. BOZAR – Centre for Fine Arts Brussels

5. CALLIAS Foundation

6. CEDC – European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity

7. CEM – Centre Européen de Musique

8. CEPI – European Audiovisual Production

9. CEPIC – Centre of the Picture Industry

10.CICAE – International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas

11.CIRCOSTRADA – European Network for Circus & Street Arts

12.De Concert!

13.EAS – European Association for Music in Schools

14.ECSA – European Composer and Songwriter Alliance

15.EDN – European Dancehouse Network

16.EFA – European Festivals Association

17.EFFORTS – The European Federation of Fortified Sites

18.EFJ – The European Federation of Journalists

19.EFNYO – European Federation of National Youth Orchestras

20.EFP – European Film Promotion

21.EGDF – European Games Developer Federation

22.EHTTA – European Historic Thermal Towns Association

23.EIBF – European and International Booksellers Federation

24.EJN – Europe Jazz Network

25.ELIA – Globally Connected European Network of Higher Arts Education

26.EMC – European Music Council

27.EMCY – European Union of Music Competitions for Youth

28.EMEE – European Music Exporters Exchange

29.EMMA – European Magazine Media Association

30.EMMA – European Music Managers Alliance

31.EMU – The European Music School Union

32.ENCATC – European network on cultural management and cultural policy

33.ENCC – European Network of Cultural Centres

34.ENPA – European Newspaper Publishers Association

35.EOFed – European Orchestra Federation

36.EPC – European Publishers Council

37.ERIH – The European Route of Industrial Heritage

38.ESNS – Eurosonic Noorderslag

39.ETC – European Theatre Convention

40.Eurocinema

41.Europa Distribution – The European Network of Independent Film Publishers and Distributors

42.Europa International – the network of European sales agents

43.Europavox : music online media & festivals

44.ECA – European Choral Association – Europa Cantat

45.EVA – European Visual Artists

46.EWC – European Writers’ Council

47.FEDEC – European Federation for Professional Circus Schools

48.FERA – Federation of European Film Directors

49.FEP – Federation of European Publishers

50.FIA – International Federation of Actors

51.FIAD – The International Federation of Film Distributors’ Associations

52.FIAPF – International Federation of Film Producers Associations

53.FIM – International Federation of Musicians

54.FSE – Federation of Screenwriters in Europe

55.GESAC – European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers

56.GIGMIT

57.IAMIC – International Association of Music Information Centres

58.IAML – International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres, member of EMC

59.IAO – International Artist Organisation of Music

60.ICMP – The Global Voice of Music Publishing

61.IETM – International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts

62.IFJ – International Federation of Journalists

63.IFPI – International Federation of the Phonographic Industry

64.IFRRO – International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations

65.IGCAT – International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism

66.IMMF – International Music Managers Forum

67.IMPALA – The Independent Music Companies Association

68.IMPF – The Independent Music Publishers International Forum

69.IMZ – IMZ International Music + Media Centre

70.In-Situ – European Platform for Artistic Creation in Public Space

71.INES – Innovation Network of European Showcases

72.ISCM – International Society for Contemporary Music on behalf of the

73.ISFE – The Interactive Software Federation of Europe

74.IVF – International Video Federation

75.Live DMA – European network for live music venues & festivals

76.Liveurope – The live music platform for new European talent

77.KEA European Affairs

78.MCA – Michael Culture Association

79.NAMM – National Association of Music Merchants

80.NEMO – The Network of European Museum Organisations

81.News Media Europe

82.On the Move

83.Pearle* – Live Performance Europe

84.REMA – European Early Music Network

85.Res Artis – Worldwide Network of Arts Residencies

86.SAA – Society of Audiovisual Authors

87.SEEHN – South East European Heritage Network

88.SHAPE – Sound, Heterogeneous Art and Performance in Europe

89.Sistema Europe – The Sistema Europe Association

90.Tenso Network Europe

91.UNI MEI – UNI global union – media, entertainment & arts

92.UNIC – International Union of Cinemas

93.We Are Europe

94.Yourope – The European Festival Association