For the first time in the European Union’s history, the three institutions – Parliament, Council and Commission – have signed a Joint Declaration specifically on the subject of European arts and culture titled „Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe“. As the first flagship action of the Culture Compass, a position paper published in late 2025 by Commissioner for Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, this Joint Declaration lays out a plan and directive for current and future policy making that shall „place culture at the heart of the European project“, according to Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.
Among the key commitments of this Joint Declaration are the recognition of culture as a public good that holds intrinsic value and contributes to Europe’s social identity, democratic resilience and economic growth, as well as the protection of cultural rights so that everyone in Europe can freely create and access arts and culture. Accordingly, the jointly signed document is based on 12 guiding principles:
- Freedom of artistic expression and right to create.
- Cultural and linguistic diversity.
- Access to culture for all.
- Fair, just, healthy and safe working conditions for artists and cultural professionals.
- Youth representation and participation in cultural life.
- Synergies between culture, arts and education.
- Culture’s contribution to health and well-being.
- Ethical and responsible use, development and governance of AI.
- Protection, safeguarding and promoting cultural heritage.
- Culture’s role in fostering regional & territorial development, resilience and social cohesion.
- Culture’s contribution to environmental sustainability.
- Integration of culture and cultural heritage in EU’s internal and external policies, investing in culture and monitoring progress.
Following the signing of the document, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed in her statement that „culture is at the core of our identity, as well as being a source of Europe’s economic and geopolitical strength“. Still, Commissioner Micallef urged that „this political commitment must now lead to practical progress: fairer conditions of artists and cultural professionals, wider access to culture and stronger cultural communities across Europe“. On this note, the Joint Declaration proposes to explore better and more diverse ways of financing culture, to include culture more consistently in EU policies and funding programmes, to engage regularly and directly with artists and cultural workers, to improve mobility of artists, and to review and monitor cultural activity more closely.
Declaration Needs Commitment
EAIPA welcomes this first step taken jointly by the three main institutions of the European Union to improve and stabilise the European arts and culture sector. EAIPA itself actively participates in furthering this agenda and the above-mentioned Culture Compass by participating in regular high-table discussions with EU representatives and by being part of several working groups on working conditions and the proposed EU Artist Charter with its partner organisations at Culture Action Europe.
However, in light of current budget talks at the recent EU summit on June 18-19, EAIPA and its partner organisations are also concerned that member countries are unwilling to meet the EU commissioner’s ambitious goals and the European Parliament’s increased budget proposal for Arts and Culture within the upcoming multi-annual financial framework (MFF). Recent reports of the MFF negotiations have shown that the Council currently only proposes a budget of € 7,295 billion for the AgoraEU programme – this is down 33% from the Parliament’s proposition of € 10,72 billion. EAIPA therefore urges all stakeholders – artists, cultural workers and their representative organisations – to engage with their local elected officials as well as national cultural ministries and ask them to hold up their end of the bargain. Because, according to recent estimates, the culture and creative sector make up about 4% of the EU’s workforce, yet only 0.15% of the current MFF are dedicated to further develop this sector. EAIPA and its partner organisations thus renew their call that any EU budget for arts and culture must at least clear the 2% threshold. In line with the Joint Declaration’s own rhetoric, investment in arts and culture should therefore be a priority for all European policymakers, since it creates a more prosperous, democratic and free society for all European citizens.
The Joint Declaration ‘Culture for Europe – Europe for Culture’ marks a major step forward: the recognition of art and culture as an essential element of our social cohesion and of what defines us in Europe. In all their diversity, in all their forms: Art and culture, artists and all those working in the cultural sector are finally receiving the attention they deserve – and the framework and working conditions in the arts and culture are finally being given greater consideration. Together with what we hope will be a significantly larger AgoraEU budget from 2027 onwards, national and local funding bodies are now also being called upon to provide sufficient support for art and culture and to ensure the best possible conditions!
– Ulrike Kuner, EAIPA General Manager
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