Investing in our culture is investing in our future – Open letter to EU leaders from Europe’s cultural and creative sectors

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Live DMA co-signed with 92 other European cultural organisations a joint letter for an increased budget for Creative Europe 2021-2027.

“Today, Creative Europe represents a mere 0,15% of the overall EU Budget. This is by no means proportionate to our sectors’ contribution to the EU economy, which stands at €509bn in value added to GDP and over 12 million full-time jobs (7.5 % of the EU’s work force).

Our culture and our talents support artistic freedom and media pluralism, which are crucial for maintaining open, inclusive and creative societies. Yet, culture is low on the EU’s political agenda, and these sectors remain structurally underfinanced. The financing gap for Europe’s cultural and creative SMEs alone is estimated to be somewhere between €8bn and €13bn.

This is why we welcome the European Parliament’s proposal to increase the Creative Europe budget to €2.8bn. We call on the Council to support this much-needed boost to the future of Europe’s arts, culture and heritage, and the values they promote.“

Read and share the joint letter

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