Michael Culture Association recently participated in an influential session with the European Commission’s Expert group on cultural heritage. This gathering, which took place on the 9th and 10th of April, undescores the pivotal role that dialogue between civil society organizations and policy makers at European and national level plays in shaping cultural policies across the EU. Here’s an account of the latest developments and strategic initiatives discussed during this session, marking a significant advancement in cultural heritage sustainability and accessibility.

WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S EXPERT GROUP ON CULTURAL HERITAGE?

Formed in 2019, the expert group’s mandate extends the dialogue and cooperative achievements of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. The group’s primary goal is to foster public policies that safeguard and valorize Europe’s cultural heritage. It achieves this by promoting an integrated approach that encompasses environmental, social, and economic dimensions. This expert body not only offers advice and expertise to the European Commission but also functions as a vital platform for exchanging information and consulting on diverse cultural heritage policies.

The expert group boasts a diverse membership that includes EU Member States and Regions, International Representation (Including countries like Norway and organizations from the Western Balkans), Stakeholders (representatives from 26 European cultural organizations, including the MCA), international bodies like UNESCO and the OECD and specialized Observers and Advisors (such as the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions)

During the session, several significant initiatives were highlighted:

• The European Heritage Hub presented their latest achievements and developments: the “Heritage Library“, a repository for heritage-related materials, and the “Policy Monitor“, mapping out policies impacting heritage across European, national and local level. We are glad to see such an important initiative keeping up the good work.
• The Subgroup for the dialogue with the art market presented their findings and recommendations. As members of the ANCHISE Project (Horizon Europe), we welcome this initiative and the active dialogue with Art Market professionals stemming from it: we can’t wait to hear more on the next meetings and we thank all the involved actors.
• During the open floor, we presented our new Action Group for Digital & AI, in collaboration with Culture Action Europe: an advocacy group for CAE & MCA members aimed at bringing the Cultural Sector perspective to the Digital policies in EU. Discover more about our Action Group clicking here.

As MCA continues to engage with these extensive networks and platforms, it remains committed to its mission of enhancing the access to and sustainability of cultural heritage through digital and digitization. By actively participating in these discussions and initiatives, MCA ensures that our community’s voice is take into account for the development of cultural policies at European and national level.