The Commission has presented the new strategic document “Culture Compass for Europe,” which sets out a comprehensive vision for the future of culture in the EU. With this strategy, the European Commission recognises and seeks to fully harness the potential of culture for Europe, while also addressing the challenges faced by the cultural and creative sectors.
The strategy highlights that, in order to unlock the full potential of culture, it is essential to address the most pressing issues affecting these sectors, such as:
• threats to artistic freedom
• precarious working conditions for artists
• unequal access to culture
• the impact of artificial intelligence.
To tackle these challenges, the Culture Compass for Europe sets out four key directions for EU cultural policies:
• upholding and strengthening European values and cultural rights
• empowering artists and cultural professionals and supporting citizens
• leveraging culture and cultural heritage to enhance competitiveness, resilience, and cohesion
• promoting international cultural relations and partnerships.
As part of this initiative, the Commission has proposed a Joint Declaration to be reviewed and signed by the European Parliament and the Council, with the aim of strengthening political commitment to the vision of culture as an integral part of the EU’s identity and development.
The Culture Compass also proposes key measures to achieve the goals, such as:
• an EU Artists’ Charter
• a new EU Cultural Data Hub
• a new EU Cultural Status Report
• an AI strategy for the cultural and creative sectors
More information about the Culture Compass for Europe can be found here.