The role that arts and culture can play in the recovery

Across borders, spanning decades, arts and culture have always been an essential part of our European way of life. In dire times, arts and culture are there to offer comfort, to inspire dreams, to share feelings. The emotions that books, music, films, plays, photographs, paintings and sculpture offer us, both individually and as a society, are invaluable.

So too are the cultural and creative sectors. They are among Europe’s strongest assets. They have a role to play in Europe’s recovery, and the European Commission is committed to supporting them through different channels.

First is the safe resumption of activities. The pandemic greatly affected the cultural activities we enjoy sharing with others so much. Revenues dropped between 75% to 80% for museums in tourist areas, while cinemas and music venues saw a 70% and 64% revenue drop, respectively. In June 2021, the European Commission decided to commemorate the reopening of cultural venues and sites by launching EU guidelines to foster coordinated and proportionate measures across all EU countries.

Second, before the sanitary crisis, we had decided to substantially increase our financial support to EU cultural and creative sectors, with almost €2.5bn from Creative Europe and close to €2bn from Horizon Europe dedicated to cultural and creative projects for the period between 2021 and 2027.

In addition, cultural and creative sectors will also benefit from significant investments from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the EU’s unprecedented financial plan of €672.5bn. Money, in the form of grants or loans, will support reforms and investments designed and undertaken by member states individually.

The Commission is proud to report that, on average, at EU level, cultural and creative sectors will receive slightly more than 2% of this instrument. I welcome the large allocations to the cultural and tourism sector planned by member states in their national resilience and recovery plans.

Third, listening to the cultural and creative actors, we have heard their calls for easier access to information on the EU funding opportunities. Later this year, we will publish an online guide on EU funding for culture, bringing together in one place all the different EU funds available. This will be a unique one-stop-shop to help cultural professionals navigate the complexity of EU programmes, and have better chances at finding subsidies.

Lastly, looking back at past 18 months, we will launch an expert group on Understanding Digital Audience to explore new ways to promote cultural content by learning from practices stemming from the pandemic experience.

To artists and culture professionals: you represent the soul of Europe. You are the bridge to renewed and sustained activities in all corners of Europe, but you are also a promise of vivid exchanges and valuable insights on our society for which I will always be by your side.