Culture: The Compass for Europe’s Future – Cultural Deal for Europe annual policy conversation
The European Cultural Foundation, Culture Action Europe and Europa Nostra are organising the Cultural Deal for Europe annual policy conversation ‘Culture: The Compass for Europe’s Future’ on 4 February 2025, from 14:00h to 18:00h.
2025 marks a critical year for the European Union and its strategic direction. The Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, will lead the creation of a new strategic framework called the ‘Culture Compass,’ “to guide and harness the multiple dimensions of culture”. If culture is Europe’s guiding star, where will this new strategy take us?
At the same time, all the Commissioners are spotlighting the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) — the EU’s new seven-year budget. They are framing it as a “simpler, more focused, and adaptable long-term budget” with the potential to bring about significant changes. Given culture’s importance to Europe, how will it fit into this crucial budget?
This year’s Cultural Deal for Europe policy conversation will tackle these questions by focusing on three main topics:
- How can culture and cultural heritage take a leading role in shaping Europe’s future?
- How can they foster a shared European sentiment and a common public space?
- What steps can we take together to support a democratic, diverse, and peaceful Europe?
This is a timely conversation aligning with the start of the new European Commission and ahead of the European Parliament’s debate on the MFF. It will help prioritise culture in the EU’s legislative agenda as Europe grapples with war, division, and polarisation. Culture and cultural heritage stand as Europe’s greatest assets and are great tools to help us envision better futures for our continent. This is why Europe needs a bold new direction – a Cultural Deal for Europe.
Due to the European Parliament hearings of the Commissioners-designate, which took place between 4 November and 12 November, we postponed our annual conversation to this date, with the new College of European Commissioners and the European Parliament fully in place.
Culture Action Europe, the European Cultural Foundation and Europa Nostra, the three initiators of the Cultural Deal for Europe campaign, and our partner for the event, Centre for Fine Arts Brussels – Bozar look forward to welcoming you on 4 February.
