Backing Culture Means Backing Europe

Europe’s next long-term budget is being decided, and the outcome will shape our continent for decades. From defence spending to climate investment, policymakers are debating how big the budget should be, who controls it, and what it should prioritise. 

But too often, culture is treated as an afterthought. We see it differently. Culture is not a luxury, it is the foundation of Europe’s democracy, resilience, and shared identity. It strengthens social trust and counters disinformation. It fuels innovation and makes Europe’s economy more creative and competitive. Yet Creative Europe, the only EU programme fully dedicated to culture, still represents a tiny fraction of the budget. 

That’s why we co-initiated the Cultural Deal for Europe, an urgent call to put culture at the heart of the EU agenda. We endorse two campaigns demanding concrete action: 

• Ask, Pay, Trust, which calls on EU leaders to recognise, fairly fund, and trust artists and cultural professionals; 

• Let Culture Lead Us Forward, which urges the EU to double the Creative Europe budget and treat culture as a strategic investment in Europe’s future. 

Image by Alexia Souvalioti for Fine Acts.