On June 23, the RESISTANCE NOW! TOGETHER coalition convened a roundtable creating a space for dialogue between EU institutions and civil society on the future of artistic freedom in the European Union.
At a time when artistic freedom is facing growing challenges across Europe, from political interference in cultural institutions to censorship and restrictions on independent cultural expression, the discussion focused on how the EU can strengthen its role in safeguarding an open, diverse, and resilient cultural sector.
The participation of Commissioner Glenn Micallef and CULT Chair Nela Riehl underscored the importance and timeliness of this conversation. We are grateful for their engagement and willingness to exchange with civil society on the future of artistic freedom in Europe.
A central theme of the roundtable was the development of a European Artistic Freedom Act (EAFA), a civil society-led proposal that members of the RESISTANCE NOW! TOGETHER coalition have been developing over the past year with the support of legal experts and pro bono law firms. The initiative seeks to transform artistic freedom from a shared principle into a practical and enforceable right for artists and cultural institutions across the EU.
After a Welcome and introduction by Sanjay Sethi, Co-executive Director, Artistic Freedom Initiative, the Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, gave his Opening Remarks. In the first Session experiences of artistic freedom were explored and lessons were learned from the media sector. Panellists were Laszlo Upor (Former Vice Rector/Acting Rector of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest), Audrey Jungers (Opera Europa), Adam Starka (Open Culture! Platform) and Julie Majerczak (Reporters Without Borders), Lars Ebert (Culture Action Europe) moderated the discussion.
The second panel looked at the new Culture Compass, ideas for what could be included in an EAFA, the rationale for choosing this legislative instrument and possible legal base. The discussion aimed to identify gaps and challenges and chart the possible next steps. Doire Ó Cuinn (Policy Officer, European Commission), Linda Ravo (UN Human Rights Representation Office of the EU), Kersty McCourt (Artistic Freedom initiative) and Robert Klotz (Steptoe LLP) gave their inputs. The Roundtable was concluded with the Closing Remarks by Nela Riehl (Chair of the CULT Committee of the European Parliament).
The meeting marked an important milestone in this process. It provided a valuable opportunity to share perspectives, experiences, and ideas across institutions and civil society, helping to strengthen the proposal, refine the civil society draft currently under development, and ensure that a diversity of viewpoints informs the work moving forward.
The richness of the discussion confirmed both the urgency of the issue and the growing momentum behind stronger European action to protect artistic freedom.
A huge thank you to Steptoe LLP for hosting us and for their valuable contribution to the project through their legal expertise and support.
For the RESISTANCE NOW! TOGETHER Coalition:
Artistic Freedom Initiative ARC Research & Consultancy Culture Action Europe European Theatre Convention Freemuse Platforma Otvorená Kultúra! Opera Europa Pearle* Live Performance Europe Wiener Festwochen GesmbH
