In favour of culture and for the relaunch of the European project

The pandemic crisis we are suffering and its social and economic consequences have stressed the major role that culture plays in overcoming this crisis. Culture has proven to be the most valuable space for rediscovering values such as creativity, awareness, endeavour, solidarity, dialogue and the ability to transcend. But it has also confronted us with many of the shortcomings in the arts and culture sectors. A fact that we must correct in order to take advantage of their strength and potential for relaunching the European Union project and quality of life for citizens.

Europe’s rich cultural diversity is a key element for overcoming this profound crisis, which has affected all countries and involves the responsibilities of local, regional, federal and state administrations within the European Union.

Promoted by the Cercle de Cultura in Barcelona, this initiative was launched on 23 April and is now headed by the State Federation of Associations of Cultural Managers, FEAGC (Madrid), A Soul for Europe project (Berlin), the European Festivals Association (Brussels) and Alternativas Foundation (Madrid), and it also enjoys the support of several personalities linked to the arts and culture sectors as well as European institutions. 

It is an open initiative that wants to share leadership with all institutions, organisations and professionals wishing to join. It aims to unite forces among all the arts and culture sectors in each of the countries of the European Union and also others that share a direct link, such as the creative economy, innovation or tourism. Together, we will be stronger. More culture! More Europe!

This is why we are proposing, through this Manifesto, that European institutions encourage Member States to work on a process of development and improvement of support and funding mechanisms by more profoundly incorporating the strategic nature of culture into the European construction project.

Endorse the Manifesto: add your organisation (at the end of the google form)

Manifesto points:

• Culture is a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and an essential good that needs to be more profoundly incorporated into the European construction project.

• This means that culture must be protected and promoted with enough suitable resources that respond to this importance by Member States and also with the support and participation of European institutions.

• Culture should be more strongly integrated into the strategic plans for territorial, social and economic development at both national and European levels.

• We immediately need to incorporate “shock” measures aimed at injecting resources into the cultural sector. Beyond that of borrowing to overcome the crisis, we need to act urgently to preserve our cultural fabric by paying special attention to maintaining a balance between the public and private sectors.

• It is essential to launch measures to protect artists, creators, technicians and managers, as well as cultural companies, entities and institutions, as these are a source of wealth and work for many people.

• Greater strategic coordination of culture with economic, educational, welfare, development and cooperation policies.

• A major communication campaign is needed as soon as possible to raise awareness among European citizens about the fundamental value of culture in building a collective project of coexistence and the need for them to be involved in generating the viability of cultural sectors.

• We need to start working on coordination initiatives that can help Member States to have sponsorship and social participation laws that follow a European approval process and become a real stimulus for the participation of individuals and legal entities in financing and sponsoring culture.

• Work needs to be done to update the regulatory framework of the Member States that affects the cultural sectors by taking advantage of the true potential of culture in the strategic development of economic, social and territorial models.

• Culture sectors want to be considered as necessary as we have been in order to overcome this lockdown. But these efforts now need to be collective and European in scope. Only in this way will we be able to take advantage of the enormously rich cultural diversity of the European Union in relaunching its project for the future.

The manifesto is supported by:

Hans-Gert Pöttering / Chairman of the Former Members Association and Former President of European Parliament / Germany

Enrique Barón / Former President of European Parliament. Chairman of  Fundación Yehudi Menuhin España / Madrid

Manuel Cruz / Philosopher and writer / Former President of the Spanish Senate / Barcelona

Joan Rigol / Former Catalan Ministry of Culture and Former President of Catalan Parliament / Barcelona

Doris Pack / Chair of the Franco-Germain Foundation for Cultural Cooperation and Former President of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament / Germany

Catherine Trautmann / Co-President of Franco-German Cultural High Council and Former French Ministry of Culture / France

Hannes Swoboda / President of The International Institute for Peace and Former President of the Group of Socialists and Democrats of the European Parliament / Austria

Nikolaos Sifounakis / Former President of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament / Greece

Petra Kammerevert / Member of the European Parliament. Former President of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament / Germany

Maria Badia / Former Vice president of Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament / Catalonia / Spain

Segimon Borràs / Publisher. President of Cercle de Cultura / Barcelona

Kathrin Deventer / Secretary General of the European Festivals Association / Brussels

Diego López Garrido / Executive Vice President of Fundación Alternativas. Former Secretary of State for the European Union / Madrid

Santiago Fisas / Former Member of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament / Barcelona

Zita Gurmai / President of the Party of European Socialists Women and Former Member of the European Parliament / Hungary

Volker Hassemer / President of the Zukunft Foundation / Berlin

Nele Hertling / Spokesperson for A Soul For Europe / Berlin

Daniel Innerarity / Philosopher. Director of Instituto de Gobernanza Democrática / Basque Country / Spain

Ulrich Fuchs / Director of the European Capital of Culture Linz 2009 and Marseille-Provence 2013 projects / Marseille

Jaume Lanaspa / President of the Barcelona Office of Club de Roma / Catalonia / Spain

Pia Locatelli / President of Fondazione A.J. Zaninoni for cultural promotion and training and Former Member of the European Parliament / Italy

Gabriel Magalhâes / Thinker, writer and poet / Portugal

José Manuel Pérez González (Peridis) / Architect and draftsman / Madrid

Francesc Torralba / Philosopher / Professor of Ethics at Ramon Llull University / Barcelona 

Joan Manuel Tresserras / Former Minister of Culture of the Government of Government of Catalonia / Barcelona

Jordi Amat / Philologist and editor of El Món de Demà / Barcelona

Teresa Riera / Former President of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament / Balearic Islands / Spain

Diana Riba / Member of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament / Barcelona

Andreas Schieder / Member of the European Parliament  / Austria

Salima Yenbou / Greens Spokeswoman of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament / France

Pere Vicenç i Rahola / Honorary President of Cercle de Cultura and Former President of the International Publishers Association and the Federation of European Publishers / Barcelona

Initial support:

Jordi Alberich / Businessman / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Ferran Audí / Actor and director of cinema and theatre / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Laura Bertran / Director of Primer punt: Communication and institutional strategy / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Airan Berg / Artistic Director of the Festival der Regionen / Austria

Lluís Bonet / Director of the Cultural Management Program of the University of Barcelona / Member of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Montserrat Bou / PROA General Secretary, Productors Audiovisuals Federats / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Gemma Carbó / Cultural Manager / President of INTERARTS Foundation / Catalonia / Spain

Martín Carrasco Pedrero / Cultural Manager and Exhibition Curator / Extremadura / Spain

Jesús Cimarro / President of Academia de las Artes Escénicas de España / Spain

Santiago Manuel Cuadrado Rodríguez / Cultural Manager. Badajoz Provincial Government / Extremadura / Spain

Carles Duarte / Director of the Fundació Institució Cultural del CIC. Former President of the National Council of Culture and Arts / Member of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Daniel Fernández / EDHASA Editor. President of CEDRO (Spanish Center for Reprographic Rights) / Catalonia / Spain

Jorge Avelino Fernández de León / Cultural Manager. Member of the board of the Spanish Academy in Rome / Asturias / Spain

Jordi Font i Cardona / Cultural Manager and Secretary of the National Council of Culture and Arts / Catalonia / Spain

Mercè Franquesa / Secretary General of Cercle d’Economia / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Agustín Fructuoso / Plastic artist / Member of the board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Ángel García Carreño / Cultural Manager / Navarra / Spain

Jordi González / Vice President of Art and Contents of Grup FOCUS / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Beatriz Hernández Gómez / Cultural Manager / Extremadura / Spain

Belén Latorre / Director of Fundació Antigues Caixes Catalanes / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Esteve León / Cultural Manager / Senior advisor to Consorci de les Drassanes de Barcelona General Management. Teatre Lliure Trustee / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Felice v. Maltzahn / Zukunft Foundation / Berlin / Germany

Miguel Ángel Martín Ramos / Delegate in Brussels and Head of European Affairs of the Fundación Academia Europea y Iberoamericana de Yuste / Member of the Strategic Group of A Soul for Europe / Extremadura / Spain

Alfons Martinell / Honorary Director of the Unesco Chair: «Cultural Policies and Cooperation» / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Daniel Martínez de Obregón / President of Grup FOCUS / Member of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Rubén Morcillo Calderón / Cultural Manager. Curator of exhibitions and cultural spaces / Extremadura / Spain

Juan Carlos Moreno Piñero / Director of Fundación Academia Europea y Iberoamericana de Yuste / Extremadura / Spain

Vinyet Panyella / President of National Council of Culture and Arts / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Jordi Pardo / General Manager of Pau Casals Foundation / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Marta Puigderrajols / Cultural Manager / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Fèlix Riera / Publisher and Director of Fundació Romea / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

M. Àngels Torras / Director of Serveis Territorials a Barcelona of the Department of Culture from the Catalan Government / Member of the Board of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Antoni Vila Casas / President of Fundació Vila Casas / Member of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

New supports 

Pablo Álvarez de Eulate González / Music and Programming Area Coordinator  of Acción Cultural Española AC/E / Spain

Carles Arques Aliaga / Crea360. European projects technician / Valencia / Spain

Miguel Atanet / Journalist / Andalusia / Spain

Nicolas Bertrand / Cultural Cooperation Consultant / France

Marta Esteve / General Director of Fundació Carulla / Catalonia / Spain

Víctor Fernández Correas / Journalist and writer / Extremadura / Spain

Diego Ferro / Actor / Madrid / Spain

Julio Guinea Bonillo / EU Law Professor and Coordinator of the EU-China URJC Master and Coordinator of the Democracy Working Group of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos / Spain

Dagmar Grünwald / Cultural Manager / Austria

Llucià Homs / Cultural Consultant, exhibition curator and art advisor / Member of Cercle de Cultura / Catalonia / Spain

Virginia Luque Gallegos / Consulting and Training in Cultural Management / Spain

Antonio Paolo Russo / Universitat Rovira i Virgili / Italy

María Jesús Pascual González / Documentalist. Centro de Documentación e Información Europea de Extremadura / Extremadura / Spain

Antonio Salazar / TV and film actor / Madrid / Spain

Alexandra Savvopoulou / Europe 2021 / Greece

José Manuel Seda / Tv, film and theatre actor / Andalusia / Spain

Silvana Navarro-Hoyos / ICCIRA - International Cultural and Creative Industries Regulatory Authority / Colombia

Elvira Sojli / University of New South Wales / Australia

Borut Vojkovič / Tourism, Entrepreneurship and Rural development in Moravske Toplice / Slovenia

Organisations which promote the initiative:

Cercle de Cultura - cercledecultura.org

FEAGC - Federación Estatal de Asociaciones de Profesionales de la Gestión Cultural - feagc.com

ASfE - A Soul for Europe - asoulforeurope.eu 

Fundación Alternativas - fundacionalternativas.org

EFA - European Festivals Association - efa-aef.eu

Organisations and associations:

Acadèmia Catalana de la Música

ACPDC - Associació de Companyies Professionals de Dansa de Catalunya

ADPCE - Asociación de Directores de Producción Cinematográfica de España 

Âgora Sevreis Culturals S.L

Agrupació de Colles de Geganters de Catalunya

Amics de la UNESCO Barcelona

APAC Associació de Professionals de l'Audiovisual Català

Asociación de Museólogos y Museógrafos de Andalucía

ASSITEJ España. Artes Escénicas para la Infancia y la Juventud

Associació Casal Font d'en Fargues

Associació Cultural El Galliner de Manresa (Toc d'espectacles)

Associació d'editors en llengua catalana

Associació El Cor Canta

Associació Musical Windu

Centre d'Estudis Comarcals del Segrià

Centre Moral i Cultural del Poblenou

CIATRE – Associació de Companyies de Teatre Professional de Catalunya 

Cluster Audiovisual de Catalunya

Col·legi Professional de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya

Consorcio de Galerías de Arte Contemporáneo

Coral Font d'en Fargues

CoWorkNexus Project

daniel berdala art shop

Diagnosis Cultural

Editorial Les hores

Esbart Català de Dansaires

Escola Municipal de dansa de Celrà

EtcA - Escola de teatre i circ d'Amposta

FAETEDA - Federación Estatal de Asociaciones de Empresas de Teatro y Danza

FEAGC - Federación Estatal de Asociaciones de Profesionales de la Gestión Cultural 

FECED - Federación estatal de compañías y empresas de danza

Federació Catalana de Societats Musicals

Federació de Grups Amateurs de Teatre de Catalunya

Federació Pessebres Vivents de Catalunya

FEMA - Federación de Músicos Asociados

Filmcommission Barcelona

Foment del Treball

Fundació Aigües de Manresa - Junta de la Sèquia

Fundació Antiga Caixa Manlleu

Fundació Antigues Caixes Catalanes

Fundació Ars

Fundació Interarts

Fundació Orfeó Lleidatà

Fundació Pau Casals

Fundació Privada Taller de Músics

Fundación Academia Europea e Iberoamericana de Yuste

Fundación Caja de Burgos

Fundación Kreanta

Fundación Premio Convivencia

GEMA - Asociación de Grupos Españoles de Música Antigua

GGAC - Gremi de Galeries d'Art de Catalunya

Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya

Innovarte

LiceXballet

Life & Pictures S.L.

Llegir en Català - Associació d'Editorials Independents

Morfema T, SL

PAC - Productors Audiovisuals de Catalunya

PDC - Plataforma en Defensa de la Cultura

PIAF - Productoras Independientes Audiovisuales Federadas

Propostes Artístiques, SL

Trànsit Projectes

TRESC - Comunitat de Cultura

UNIMA - Unión Internacional de la Marioneta Federación España

VEGAP - Visual Entidad de Gestión de Artistas Plásticos

New supports

Academia de las Artes Escénicas de España

AGADA Distribución

AlgoDiferente Gestión Cultural

Alquibla Teatro

Anabel Veloso Compañía Flamenca

ARC Research & Consultancy

Arte Amanti International Chamber Music Festival

ARTEC -C-LM Asociación de profesionales de la Gestión Cultural de Castilla-La Mancha

Asociación Cultural Lieva

Asociación Internacional de Fotografía InCadaqués

ASOCIACION TE VEO ARTES ESCENICAS PARA LA INFANCIA

Associació Arts al Carrer

Associació LIVEMEDIA

ATLANTE Cultura & Teatro

Aye Cultura Social

Centro Culturale Internazionale Luigi Einaudi

CID-N Red de Desarrollo de Inteligencia Colectiva

Citrum Audiovisual

Coperfield for Social Good

Creative association "Fish Eye"

Fundació Arqueològica Clos

Fundació Carulla

Fundació Catalunya Cultura

Fundación Melilla Ciudad Monumental

Galeria Espiral

GCIB Gestors Culturals de les Illes Balears 

GESCULT Cultura Innovación y Desarrollo S. L.

Grupo Puja. Teatro aéreo

Italia Nostra Onlus

Javier Liñera

Kunsthandel Pohlhammer

La meva

La Siamesa

Last Tour

L'Om Imprebís

Nacho Vilar Producciones

New Culture Foundation

On the Move

pigeon-bridge

P’LA ARTE

Red de Cooperación de las Rutas del Emperador Carlos V. Itinerario Cultural del Consejo de Europa

Sección Iberoamericana del Ateneo de Madrid

Smart ibérica Impulso Empresarial

Tanttaka Teatroa

Teatre del Mar

Teaviva Teatro Social Artesano

The OSB Music SC

Txirene Producciones

Ulapé Teatro

una más una

Wayra Plataforma Musical Ecuador

Wonderfeel Festival

The updated information with the new supports will be available on the web pages of the promoting entities:

cercledecultura.org / feagc.com / asoulforeurope.eu / fundacionalternativas.org / efa-aef.eu