The Platform "Access to Culture"

The civil society platforms initiated by the European Commission in 2008 are a channel for cultural stakeholders to provide concrete input and practice-based policy recommendations and – in this way – actively contribute to the implementation and further development of the European Agenda for Culture.

Since then, 50 European-wide organisations, networks, foundations, civil society initiatives from the cultural sector have worked in three working groups dedicated to ‘Audience Participation’, ‘Creativity and Creation’ and ‘Education and Learning’ towards the formulation of a comprehensive position paper including 9 recommendations with stated objectives, proposed actions and expected results. They are addressed at the European Commission, Member States, local and regional authorities and cultural institutions.

The Platform:

• Positions Access to Culture in a human/cultural rights perspective;
• Places Access to Culture upstream in cultural policy-making (with a strong call to also mainstream culture in other policy fields);
• Formulates clear priority areas for action to develop the conditions of creation, education and participation across Europe.

In September 2009, the platform has presented the recommendations and further actions in public during the Culture Forum in Brussels organised by the European Commission.

The "Access to Culture" Toolkit consists of:

• Participating organisations
• Executive Summary (in English)
• Policy Guidelines Document
• Part I of IV - Policy Guidelines
• Part II of IV - Annex I Supporting Legal Framework
• Part III of IV - Annex II Working Groups Position Papers
• Part IV of IV - Annex III Best Practices
• Structured Dialogue briefing for Access Platform
• Brochure
• Power Point Presentation

last update 12.05.2010printer friendly