Dutch Europe platform sends letter to Minister for culture

May 22, 2019, 3:13 pm

A coalition of Dutch cultural organisations united in the Europe platform – initiated by European Cultural Foundation, Kunsten ’92 and Culture Action Europe – feel the need to play a stronger role in European policy making. On the occasion of the European parliamentary elections, a possible Brexit and the negotiations on the future EU programmes and budget, these organisations came together to make a plan of action.

As a first step they sent a joint letter to the Dutch Minister for Education, Culture and Science and Parliament prior to the European Council meeting of May 22-23. In this letter they ask the Minister to reflect on the various ways in which the European Union cultural policies strengthen the Dutch cultural sector and invites the Minister to further align EU and Dutch cultural policies.

The platform also asks the Minister – and the Ministry of Finance – to support the proposed budget raise for the Creative Europe programme. More concrete recommendations include: creating better access for cultural actors to weave European Union cultural funding into their budgeting; aligning regional, national and European cultural policies and allowing for more flexibility in innovating EU-programmes.

Read the letter here (in Dutch)

DutchCulture provides more context on what is at stake for the cultural sector in the Netherlands and the EU ahead of the European parliamentary elections and calls citizens to vote because Whether these proposals – and any other coming from the Commission – will be realised, depends on the approval of the European Parliament and the party you vote for.”

Here you can find out more about where culture is included in the elections manifestos of the European political party groupings before going to vote.

The ‘Europe platform’ brings together Boekmanstichting, Bond Heemschut, Culture Action Europe, DutchCulture, European Cultural Foundation, Eurosonic Noorderslag, If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution, Kunsten ’92, LKCA, Paradiso, Re-Imagine Europe, Rietveld Academie, Theater Rotterdam, VandeJong Creative Agency, Waag – Technology & Society.

 

Image for: Dutch Europe platform sends letter to Minister for culture