“With cultural activities still halted, cultural venues and heritage sites remaining closed, and cultural exchange beyond national borders stalled, millions of jobs frozen or wiped out, and many talents forced to leave the sector, 2021 promises to be another trying year. Long-term structural support to rebuild the European cultural ecosystem needs to be co-developed, involving all relevant stakeholders, both public and private”, reads the letter EUNIC co-signed together with more than 110 cultural pan-European networks which was sent to national governments and the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

A Cultural Deal for Europe calls for culture to be a pillar of the future of Europe, as it contributes to democratic, free, and sustainable societies. At the same time, it reiterates the need to strengthen the role of international cultural relations in the EU’s foreign and sustainable development policies: international cultural relations are key in creating trust and understanding and a more peaceful world by bringing people together on a global scale.

The gravity of the Covid-19 crisis proved again that culture is not a luxury, but a necessity to build cohesive, equal, sustainable and free societies. A Cultural Deal for Europe is a call from a wider European cultural community to acknowledge the pivotal role of culture in shaping the future of our lives, in a global arena which is driven by cultural creativity, innovation and access to knowledge. The crisis and recovery should be seen as an opportunity to take a step forward, prepare the sector for the future, and better equip it with means and resources for contributing to the European project.

EUNIC equally supported the first letter published on 30 October 2020. The Cultural Deal for Europe initiative is coordinated by Culture Action Europe.

There is no recovery for Europe without culture.

Read the letter in full.