European Choral Association - Europa Cantat
European Choral Association
The European Choral Association – Europa Cantat is a network of organisations in the field of collective singing in Europe.
ID: 236316930224-39
Lobbying Activity
Response to A Culture Compass for Europe
12 May 2025
The European Choral Association warmly welcomes the development of the Culture Compass, which aims to guide the European Unions activities and programmes related to culture in the coming years. This initiative is crucial not only for the Culture Programme but also for various other EU policy areas. In the face of escalating global conflicts and the European Union's challenges, including its image issues among citizens, we firmly believe that culture can serve as a powerful asset. It has the potential to foster a stronger sense of belonging among EU citizens and enhance the EU's competitiveness on the global stage, not only from a market perspective. As a member of the European Music Council and a contributor to the European Agenda for Music, we advocate for recognizing musicand culture in generalas an art form, a product, and a tool. In translating this vision into the Culture Compass, we emphasize that all three aspects of culture deserve equitable consideration: 1. Market Aspect: It is essential to prioritize both competitiveness and diversity within the cultural sector and develop alternative EU-based platforms and programmes protecting the artists' rights. 2. Cultural Benefits: We highlight the importance of participatory cultural activities as tools that enhance the physical and mental well-being of EU citizens, improve individual wellness, and develop social skills, thereby fostering inclusion and democracy. 3. Intrinsic Value of Culture: It is vital to support projects that prioritize artistic quality and the transnational mobility of artists and artworks, even when they do not directly align with market aspects or culture as a tool. When examining these facets, the music sector stands out compared to other cultural domains, as it engages a significant portion of EU citizens, not only as consumers but also as active musiciansmany of whom do not earn a living from music. This sector is well-structured, and numerous local, regional, national, and European or international networks represent its diverse components. Looking at choral music / collective singing, in the European Union alone, approximately 22 million people regularly sing together, while across Europe, around 37 million individuals participate in approximately 1 million choirs and ensembles. For the European Choral Association, it is crucial to maintain a sector-specific approach for music, such as the Music Moves Europe initiative. We urge the European Commission and Executive Agency to engage in continuous dialogue with stakeholders from ALL PARTS of the music sector. Furthermore, we advocate for ensuring that the EUs activities and programmes remain accessible and open to cultural operators and practitioners involved in lifelong learning, amateur arts, and community arts. We also believe that the freedom of (artistic) expression needs to be protected more than ever due to the changes in the political landscape in Europe and other parts of the world. This freedom is not only relevant for media but also for artists as well as organisations representing the interests of a part of the sector. Diversity in Culture, Arts Education, the Working Conditions of Artists and Cultural Workers, an ethical approach to digital tools including AI, protecting the rights of artists, as well as international relations to other parts of the world on eye-to-eye level are other topics relevant for the sector, together with the other current overarching EU priorities (inclusion, gender equality and environmental sustainability - greening). Last but not least, we assert that a stand-alone Creative Europe programme with a strong culture strand remains essential. It should be simplified with call-specific forms, and continue to offer financial support to European Culture Networks, Platforms as well as cooperation projects of different sizes, with an increased budget. Also, culture should be streamlined across other policy areas and in other EU programmes.
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