“Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe” – Join Declaration debrief
On 18 June, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, in his capacity as holder of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, together with the Presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission, signed a joint declaration entitled ‘Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe’. For some time now, the European Union has made a habit of declaring its support for the creative sector and cultural heritage, often emphasising how the cultural sphere is a necessary foundation for a truly united Europe. However, these declarations by the Union’s highest representatives have often remained nothing more than encouraging words, with little concrete action to follow: in this sense, the Joint Declaration represents a first joint declaration of intent, the beginning of what might be described as a system of cultural policies. At its heart lie the reasons behind the declaration: the social and identity-forming power of culture; the cultural sector as an employment sector that needs protecting because it is inherently precarious; the economic impact of the sector and of the creative and cultural industries; and the opportunity to address the challenges of the contemporary world through a cultural lens.
Europe is a continent of immeasurable art, culture, creativity and rich cultural heritage and history. Europe’s cultural diversity and vibrancy, fuelled by the excellence of its artists and cultural and creative professionals, are fundamental to EU values and identity, fostering a European sense of belonging and shared European identity, and strengthening democracy
Michael Culture salutes the signing of this important document, that stems directly from the Culture Compass for Europe, the Commission’s strategy for the cultural and creative sector published in September 2025 (we wrote about it here). The declaration is divided into 12 areas, in each of which the signatories commit to deliver, in a broad but provisional way.
What MCA is particularly looking at
- The pillar on Artificial Intelligence: the wording as it is suggests that years of advocacy towards humans-first approaches are now established in policy making in the cultural sector at EU level. “Promoting human creation and European cultural and linguistic digital sovereignty” and “monitoring and mitigating the impact of AI on jobs, as well as supporting the cultural and creative sectors and industries in adapting to technological change and acquiring digital skills” are two key components for Michael Culture Associaiton. It is also important to remark that these reflections should not be limited to AI systems, they should also incorporate forward-thinking in digital policies to integrate the perspective of the cultural and creative sectors, as we advocate for in our Action Group on Digital & AI.
- The pillar on Heritage Protection: as “symbol of unity in diversity and a cornerstone of our identity, democracy, and resilience”, Michael Culture is glad to see a specific attention and commitment to digitization of cultural heritage and the enhancement of the interdisciplinary fight against trafficking of cultural goods. In particular, we are glad to see the mention of “research and capacity building, and the use and interoperability of databases and digital technologies” to tackle this issue.
- The last encompassing pillar on Funding: in line with the implementation of concrete actions concerning the 12 pillars, the 3 institutions commit to funding and “supporting the sustainability” of the sectors “encouraging different forms of funding and considering innovative and alternative modes of funding at all levels of governance”. This ties directly with the will to “cultural mainstreaming within relevant EU strategies, policies and actions”. In view of the future Multiannual Financial Framework, the next EU budget, this Joint Declaration becomes a crucial piece of negotiations, for policymakers and advocates.
Funding and mainstreaming: let’s make it reality with #NamePlaceFund
The Joint Declaration opens the road to a real change in how the EU sees the cultural and creative sectors. Policymakers and civil society organizations should seize the momentum to secure a concrete and structural support to the sectors. The commitment to funding and mainstreaming resonates in our campaign “Name, Place, Fund”. Together with a coalition of cultural networks we advocate to secure the presence of culture for in research, innovation and competitiveness in the 2028-2034 budget. The campaign focuses specifically on the Horizon Europe and European Competitiveness Fund (ECF). Learn more about the campaign and how to act here.
