The European Union funding for the standalone culture programme is at risk. Take action now – every signature and voice counts!

We’ve joined Culture Action Europe’s campaign to make culture a priority in European Union public policy!

Currently, European Union is preparing the next period long-term budget, called the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034.  For the new phase, Creative Europe programme might become merged with other programmes, whereby the focus on culture, arts and music could get lost and the cultural projects funding is in danger. Culture is essential not only to our identity but also to strengthening democracy, competitiveness, and security in Europe.

Culture Action Europe’s campaign calls on EU leaders to place culture at the heart of public policy —and allocate 2% of the MFF to support European culture. It’s time to Ask, Pay, and Trust the Artist to strengthen democracy, competitiveness, and security in Europe.

Make your voice heard – now is the time!
For all of cultural workers, artists and makers, it is important to speak out in favour of a new standalone culture programme. If we don’t make ourselves heard within the next half year when the EU programmes and budgets are being shaped, cultural organisations could suffer from the consequences during the next 7-year policy period.

This is what you can do:

Step 1: Sign Culture Action Europe’s Ask, Pay, Trust the Artist statement.

Step 2: Share Culture Action Europe’s Ask, Pay, Trust the Artist statement in a campaign via your social media on 9 May (also known as Europe Day). This can be done very easily – the media kit to use can be found here.
You can read more about the campaign here.

Step 3: Fill out the MFF questionnaire for the European Commission by 6 May. Ask your colleagues to do the same.
If you want 2% of the next EU long-term budget to be allocated to culture (currently, it’s only 0.2%), participate in the consultation survey from the European Commission. To help fill in the questionnaiore, use Culture Action Europe’s step-by-step guide. 

The MFF survey that specifically focuses on education, culture, and civil society already has over 3,500 responses. Help push that number even higher by completing it and encouraging your members and colleagues to do the same. Our key message: Creative Europe must remain a standalone programme with a robust budget.

Of course there is more you can do! But taking these three actions is an important first step in advocating for a European culture programme in Europe beyond 2028; support that all of us work with and many rely on.