Backing Culture Means Backing Europe

Europe’s next long-term budget is being negotiated now, and what’s decided will shape our continent for decades to come. But while defence and industry dominate the conversation, culture risks being overlooked.

We see it differently. Culture is not a luxury. It is a cornerstone of European democracy, resilience, and a sense of belonging. It builds social trust, counters disinformation, and strengthens Europe’s creative economy. Yet the EU’s only dedicated cultural programme, Creative Europe, still receives only a tiny share of the total budget.

That’s why we co-initiated the Cultural Deal for Europe with Culture Action Europe and Europa Nostra: a campaign and urgent call to place culture at the heart of EU policy and ensure it receives at least 2% of the next EU budget.

This is a critical week. Member States are preparing their response to the European Commission’s budget proposal. Now is the time to act.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Write to your national finance ministers and call for an independent Creative Europe programme and a minimum of 2% for culture in the next EU budget. Culture Action Europe has prepared templates and instructions to make this simple;

2. 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. 

Photo by Alexia Souvalioti of Fine Acts