During the meeting, NEMO contributed insights from the museum sector, drawing on the network’s recent work on political influence and pressure on museums in Europe. Over the past year, NEMO has strengthened its engagement on this topic through several actions, including the publication of a scientific article analysing data collected from European museums, the launch of a dedicated online resources page supporting museums in politically challenging contexts, and the organisation of member‑only online session to enable safe exchange among peers.
In addition, national museum organisations across Europe, including in Finland, Germany, the Slovak Republic, Portugal and Sweden, have organised public events addressing political influence on cultural institutions. This growing public discussion marks an important first step toward resilience and collective response within the sector.
At the meeting, Julia Pagel highlighted the importance of recognising museums as cultural institutions that require both artistic and institutional independence in order to fulfil their public role. By bringing forward sector‑specific concerns, NEMO seeks to ensure that museums are included in broader European conversations on artistic freedom, democratic values and cultural rights.
The Free to Create – Create to be Free Platform aims to provide real‑time analysis, policy insight and practical tools to help protect artistic freedom across Europe. Through its participation on the Advisory Board, NEMO contributes a museum‑focused perspective to this work, supporting policies and frameworks that uphold freedom of expression and strengthen the independence of cultural institutions.
