Cultural Deal for Europe: Annual Policy Conversation 2026
The Cultural Deal for Europe Annual Policy Conversation, organised by Culture Action Europe (CAE), European Cultural Foundation (ECF), Europa Nostra (EN) and in collaboration with Bozar, has become a flagship event in Brussels. It is a key moment for high-level EU policymakers and the wider culture, cultural heritage and civil society sectors to take stock of current developments, discuss upcoming policy challenges and opportunities, and together shape the sector’s advocacy agenda for the year ahead.
Registrations for the Annual Policy Conversation 2026 are now open. You are invited to join us on 3 February 2026 from 15h00 – 18h30 in Bozar – Centre for Fine Arts Brussels.
The annual Cultural Deal for Europe event is a key moment for high-level EU policymakers and the wider culture, cultural heritage and civil society sectors to take stock of the current cultural and political landscape, discuss upcoming policy challenges and opportunities, and shape a strong advocacy agenda for the year ahead.
The year 2026 will be pivotal for the negotiations on the EU’s long-term budget for 2028–2034. The Cultural Deal 2026 event will focus on the strategies and alliances needed to secure a strong cultural and cultural heritage foundation within the next EU budget, a robust civil society dimension across all relevant programmes and a well-conceived, properly resourced AgoraEU program that brings culture, media and European rights and values under one roof. The event will also explore how the recently launched Culture Compass for Europe can unlock culture’s full potential for Europe, help address key European challenges and foster innovative partnerships.
Programme
15:00 – Opening by moderator Fabien Miclet
15:05 – Welcoming words and introduction by the partners – Lars Ebert, Secretary General CAE, André Wilkens, Director ECF, and Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, Secretary General Europa Nostra
15:20 – Keynote speech (tbc)
15:40 – Moderated discussion with Glenn Micallef (Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport), MEP Nela Riehl, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education, MEP Carla Tavares (tbc); Representative of Cabinet of Piotr Serafin (Commissioner on Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration, tbc), Representative of the EU Council Presidency (Cyprus, tbc)
16:20 – Q&A with the public
17:25 – Closing remarks
17:30 – Networking reception
Secure your spot today and be part of the discussion to ensure culture remains at the heart of EU policy making.
Stay tuned for more in the newsletters of ECF, CAE and Europa Nostra, updates on the Cultural Deal page or on LinkedIn.