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7 September 2026

Culture in National & Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs)

Over the past year, Culture Action Europe has spent a lot of time decoding EU funding programmes that can support culture in the next seven years: AgoraEU, Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund. There is another, very large piece of the next EU budget that deserves considerably more attention from the cultural sector: National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). How large? €865 billion for 2028-2034 — almost half of the entire EU budget. Read more.

European Commission President von der Leyen gives a speech in the European Parliament. The photo is faded and represents a lavender hue.

7 September 2026

Culture beyond recognition – SOTEU 2026

Ahead of the State of the Union address taking place 16 September 2026, Culture Action Europe sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 27 August 2026. The letter calls on the European Commission to match the political recognition given to culture in the Culture Compass and signed Joint Declaration with clear political action. Read the letter.

Title slide: 'A sector contribution to the work plan for culture 2027–2030,' with the Culture Action Europe logo and a black-and-white illustration of flowers, roots, and insects.

21 July 2026

A Sector Contribution to the Work Plan for Culture 2027–2030

The next Work Plan will cover 2027–2030 and is expected to be adopted under the Irish Presidency by the end of 2026. The first draft, not publicly available, was presented already on 3 July. Culture Action Europe developed our recommendations for the next Work Plan for Culture. They were informed by the discussions at the BEYOND Satellites – six decentralised gatherings that took place in spring 2026 across Europe. Read more.

A black-and-white photograph shows a diverse group of people walking down a paved, cobblestone European street or pedestrian walkway lined with trees and buildings. Some individuals are talking and smiling, and a person in the background holds up a light-colored flag. A stylized, bright pink geometric butterfly graphic is overlaid on the right side of the image, contrasting with the monochrome scene.

7 July 2026

150+ organisations call for a more ambitious budget for culture in AgoraEU

Culture Action Europe has initiated an open letter addressed to EU policymakers on the future of Creative Europe in the next long-term EU budget. More than 150 cultural organisations, networks, and institutions from across Europe have signed the open letter so far, which makes the case for a stronger dedicated Culture strand in the new AgoraEU programme. Read more.

Name, Place, Fund campaign's logo. It consists of a white text on a black background in a minimalistic style.

6 July 2026

#NamePlaceFund open letter to the Irish Presidency of the Council

The coordinators of the #NamePlaceFund campaign have sent an open letter to the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU calling for a vision of research, innovation and competitiveness in the next long-term EU budget (MFF) that fully embeds the arts and the CCSI to address the challenges of the future. Read the letter.

Feature image for a policy pill on the Council’s Work Plan for Culture. The graphic has a bright yellow-green background with large black text reading “The Other Giant in the Room: The Council’s Work Plan for Culture.” A pink banner labelled “Policy Pill” appears above the title, with the Ask Pay Trust and Alliance for Socially Engaged Arts logos in purple and yellow in the top corners.

24 June 2026

The other giant in the room: the Council’s Work Plan for Culture

Over the past months, we’ve talked a lot about the European Commission’s work on the Culture Compass and the European Parliament’s efforts to influence the current funding proposals. With negotiations on the next long-term EU budget gathering pace, both institutions are busy trying to shape what comes next for culture. But there is a third player in the room that we cannot afford to overlook: the Council of the EU. Read more.

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16 June 2026

The Council’s MFF budget proposal: bad news for AgoraEU

The Council has unveiled its proposed budget allocations for the 2028-2034 MFF and it’s bad news for culture, including a 33% reduction in budget for AgoraEU compared to the Parliament’s position. It is vital that the European Parliament’s budgetary proposal of €10.72 billion is treated as the bare minimum in negotiations in order to sustain the cultural and creative sectors. Read more

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29 May 2026

Reading between the strands: AgoraEU after Parliament and Council

Culture Action Europe calls for an AgoraEU that covers all cultural and creative sectors fairly, protects the cross-sectoral nature of European cultural cooperation, and provides more ambitious funding for culture as a whole. Where sectors have specific needs, they must be addressed consistently, not selectively, across various sectors. Read more

An image with a bright yellow background features the bold text "POLICY PILL: WHAT'S NEW WITH AGORAEU, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?" with "POLICY PILL:" highlighted on a light pink rectangle. In the top left corner, a purple square displays the text "ASK PAY TRUST" in yellow, while the top right corner includes a small logo that reads "Powered by: Alliance for Socially Engaged Arts."

5 May 2026

What’s new with AgoraEU, and why does it matter?

As the trilogues approach, the European Parliament is consolidating its positions on key funding programmes shaping the next MFF. Among them, AgoraEU stands out as a central framework for supporting culture and socially impactful projects, raising questions about what’s new and why it matters. Read more

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15 April 2026

European Parliament proposes a budgetary increase for AgoraEU

The Interim Report of the European Parliament on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) has been adopted with an increased budget proposed for the AgoraEU programme. Read more and learn our reaction in this piece. Read more

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14 April 2026

Culture is being erased from EU research and innovation funding. How do we save it?

The next Horizon Europe programme (2028–2034) is being shaped right now, and culture is disappearing from its architecture. Read what Culture Action Europe, as part of the Artistic Research Alliance, is calling for in terms of amendments to the Parliament’s draft report. Read more

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24 February 2026

Compete to Create: How the EU’s Budget Is Debuffing Creative Industries

No support for creative industries in the next EU budget? The new MFF proposal debuffs support for the more economic dimensions of culture, its digitalisation and financial tools that help creative businesses grow, merging these into the European Competitiveness Fund which barely mentions creative sectors. What does this mean moving forward? Read more

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24 February 2026

AgoraEU Updates: What Are the Council and Parliament Preparing?

Ahead of the Cultural Deal for Europe Policy Conversation on 3 February 2026, Culture Action Europe shares the latest updates on the status of AgoraEU negotiations as part of the next long-term EU budget. Read more

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6 January 2026

Digital Fines to Fund Culture: Will Parliament Act?

We proposes that the European Commission uses part of the digital fines collected from the enforcement of EU digital regulation to fund culture. Learn why using digital fines to fund culture is a good idea, how this could be done, and what nuances should be taken into account here. Read more

A pink-toned photo of a table featuring a booklet titled Culture Compass for Europe—an EU publication on cultural policy—alongside handwritten notes, illustrated pages, and a box that reads “TAKE ACTION” with a QR code.

13 November 2025

The EU’s new culture strategy is out. Culture Action Europe unpacks!

The European Commission has adopted the Culture Compass for Europe, the first EU-wide strategy for culture in nearly a decade. Read Culture Action Europe’s detailed analysis. Read more

29 September 2025

Culture Action Europe unveils its blueprint for future cultural policies in Europe

Culture Action Europe is proud to present ‘Towards the Culture Compass: A Sector Blueprint’: a discussion paper resulting from the joint efforts of 30 cross-border European cultural networks, aiming to propose a direction for European cultural policies. Read more

A woman with long hair, wearing a light-colored shirt, writes on a large blue wall with a pen under blue lighting. Her shadow is cast clearly on the wall. Faint handwritten messages and names are visible across the surface.

14 July 2025

With days before budget draft, CAE again calls on Ursula von der Leyen

Culture Action Europe has sent a letter to President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner Piotr Serafin, reiterating our call for a bold commitment to a standalone Creative Europe, including a budget of 2% of the EU’s next long-term budget post-2027. Read more

A colourful collage of overlapping posters in neon pink, yellow, orange, and green tones, each featuring bold text in various languages including English, Dutch, and French. Phrases such as “ASK PAY TRUST,” “VRAAG BETAAL VERTROUW,” and “INTERROGER RÉTRIBUER CROIRE” are prominently printed, along with QR codes and the tagline “THE ARTIST” or “DE KUNSTENAARS / LES ARTISTES.”

11 July 2025

CAE Hubs send letters to national finance ministers ahead of MFF

The Ask, Pay, Trust campaign called for the coordination of sending letters to national finance ministers in support of the Creative Europe programme.  Read more

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9 May 2025

Culture Action Europe calls on Ursula von der Leyen to keep a standalone Creative Europe

Today, Culture Action Europe, on behalf of the 280 cultural networks, organisations, artists, and activists from 35 European countries in our network, sent a letter to President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, sharing our position on Creative Europe ahead of the Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework. We believe the EU’s next long-term budget should maintain a standalone culture funding stream, namely the Creative Europe programme. Read our full letter…

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November 18, 2024

Ask, pay, trust the artist

Culture can only foster resilience if it is resilient itself. When we invest in and trust the arts, we are not only nurturing creativity – we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more resilient society. Read more

🗄️ Other Highlights

Related

Advocacy
AgoraEU Creative Europe – Culture strand Stakeholder Consultation Culture is being erased from EU research and innovation funding. How do we save it? European Parliament proposes a budgetary increase for AgoraEU Reading between the strands: AgoraEU after Parliament and Council The Council’s MFF budget proposal: bad news for AgoraEU 150+ organisations call for a more ambitious budget for culture in AgoraEU Culture in National & Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) Culture beyond recognition – SOTEU 2026
Events
Action Group on Artistic Freedom: Meeting #1 NamePlaceFund: Campaign Meeting Action Group on Working Conditions: Meeting #4 Campaign Meeting: National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs)
News
European Parliament proposes a budgetary increase for AgoraEU Reading between the strands: AgoraEU after Parliament and Council Culture is being erased from EU research and innovation funding. How do we save it? The Council’s MFF budget proposal: bad news for AgoraEU EU leaders sign ambitious Joint Declaration on Culture 150+ organisations call for a more ambitious budget for culture in AgoraEU Culture beyond recognition – SOTEU 2026 Culture in National & Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs)
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