Ancienne Belgique
AB
Ancienne Belgique is a vibrant music temple in the heart of Brussels.
ID: 552930346662-02
Lobbying Activity
Response to A Culture Compass for Europe
12 May 2025
Building on over a decade of experience supporting music venues to boost their programming of emerging European artists and based on observations from our member venues on the ground, Liveurope puts forward the following recommendations: 1. Boost the Creative Europe budget beyond 2028 To maintain Europe's position as a global cultural leader, at least 2% of the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) should be allocated to the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS). As the sole EU programme exclusively dedicated to these sectors, Creative Europe is crucial for fostering economic growth, competitiveness and innovation within the CCS. Therefore, it should continue as a stand-alone flagship EU programme with an enhanced budget to boost cross-border collaboration and cultural diversity. 2. Introduce a dedicated strand for music in the next Creative Europe The future Creative Europe should adopt a sectorial approach, with the introduction of a dedicated strand for music that reflects the sectors vital societal and economic value. Such an approach would better address the unique needs across the music value chain and help the sector tackle major challenges, such as the dominance of local and Anglo-Saxon repertoire and market concentration in the live music business. The recent Music Moves Europe studies, along with existing EU-funded projects that are well integrated into the value chain and have demonstrated to be impactful (e.g. Liveurope, European Talent Exchange), provide a solid foundation for developing this full-scale music strand. Moreover, the internal distribution of funding within Creative Europe should be rebalanced. While cinema currently receives 58% of Creative Europe funding, music-related projects received just 3.5%. 3. Launch the European Music Observatory Based on the 2020 feasibility study by the European Commission, the EU should establish the European Music Observatory (EMO) to serve as a centralized hub for music data and intelligence. The European music sector is highly fragmented across 27 national markets, resulting in a lack of reliable and comparable data. The EMO is essential for informing evidence-based European policy, strengthening the sector, and enhancing coordination at the European level. 4. More support for emerging European artists to break beyond borders In todays streaming economy, artists are increasingly dependent on live concerts, touring, and merchandise sales to sustain their livelihoods. Artists from smaller EU member states are particularly affected, as local markets are often limited and cultural and language barriers can hinder export opportunities. As a result, international touring is not only vital for artists financial stability, but also crucial for overcoming structural barriers and building wider audiences. However, the rising costs of touring are making it increasingly inaccessible for many emerging acts. The next EU strategy should put a strong focus on boosting the careers of up-and-coming artists, helping them connect with audiences beyond their home countries. This would lead to more success stories of European artists breaking beyond borders and achieving international visibility. 5. Reinforce capacity of music venues to invest in the next generation of European artists Music venues are crucial for talent development, offering emerging artists a stage to gain performance experience and connect with established audiences. However, many venues across Europe are facing significant challenges, including the growing concentration of the live music market among a few major conglomerates, insufficient political and financial support at the national level, and sharply rising production costs. These issues limit their ability to invest in the next generation of European artists. Therefore, increased investment at the EU level is essential to enhance their capacity to programme independently and fully unlock their potential to promote European music in all its diversity
Read full responseMeeting with Lauriane Bertrand (Cabinet of Commissioner Mariya Gabriel)
20 Jun 2022 · Support to Music industry