As EU and US leaders are meeting in Brussels, more than 100 organisations from across Europe’s and America’s cultural and creative sectors are uniting their voices to call for attention to the EU-US cultural relations, of particular importance to recover from the Corona crisis.
The EU and the US are highly important export markets for culture. Cultural services accounted for 5,961.5 bln € of export to US in 2019 and for 2,575.1 of import in the EU.
The Corona-crisis has hit both trade partners severely. Concerts, performances and events stood still for more than a year, with no travelling and touring in either direction. According to a study conducted by Ernst & Young on the impact of the pandemic the music and performing arts sector in Europe were hit worst with 70% and 90% less turnover in 2020. It is expected that only towards the end of 2021 this will slowly resume, with severe consequences on the live events business between the US and the EU.
The cultural community needs a strong political signal which gives hope and prospect.
Culture Action Europe and its members are among the signatories of this letter, calling the EU-US governments to reduce the obstacles to visas and work permits as an essential instrument to bring hope, future and a new start of cultural exchange between the two continents.
