News
EFA joins the Pact for Skills
27 June 2023
The European Year of Skills and the Pact for Skills
2023 has been designated as the European Year of Skills by the European Commission. It started
officially on 9 May 2023 and will run until 8 May 2024. This initiative aims
to promote and enhance skills
development across Europe and represents a
significant milestone to build a competitive and resilient economy. It
encourages partnerships and collaboration between European Union (EU) Member States, educational institutions, businesses, and other
stakeholders to increase cooperation and exchange
best practices.
One of the main objectives of the European Year of Skills 2023 is to
address the skills challenges faced by the EU Member States. The
digital transformation, the impact of globalisation and the ongoing pandemic
have created a need to upskill and reskill the workforce. The campaign aims to
identify and correct skills gaps, encourage
entrepreneurship and innovation, and facilitate the transition to a sustainable
and inclusive economy.
Digitalisation and sustainability are two key drivers of Europe's
future economic growth. The European Year of Skills 2023 highlights the
importance of developing digital and green skills to ensure a skilled workforce
that can thrive in the digital era and contribute to a more sustainable
society.
The European Festivals Association joined the Pact for Skills in
April 2023. The Pact for Skills was
launched by the European Commission in 2020 as part of its broader
efforts to address the skills challenges in Europe and provides a
framework for cooperation and coordination among stakeholders from various
sectors: governments, businesses,
social partners, education, cultural and
creative industries, etc. It aims
to facilitate the exchange of best practices, the sharing of resources, and the
scaling up of successful skills development initiatives across Europe.
EFA works on skills development
Festivals play an important role within the cultural sector. They provide
a platform for artists to showcase their talents and develop their artistic
skills. They bring together artists, professionals, and audiences from diverse
cultural backgrounds, promoting intercultural dialogue and understanding. Festivals often collaborate with other
sectors, such as politics, tourism, technology, and education.
Running a festival involves a multitude of organisational and
management skills: event planning,
budgeting, programming, negotiating, marketing,
communication and audience engagement.
The mission of EFA is to bring together festivals from
across Europe and beyond to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge, and
advocate for the arts and culture.
In order to develop various skills
of festival makers, EFA offers training programmes through The Festival
Academy, organises workshops, and publishes resources such as the Cookbooks for
Cultural managers with Pearle*.
EFA also organises summits, online meetings, and networking
events where professionals can share their experience, learn from their peers and other industry experts,
and stay updated on emerging trends.
The European Festivals Fund for
Emerging Artists - EFFEA is another initiative of EFA that reinforces skills.
EFFEA offers emerging artists a platform to develop their skills and their career
on an international level through artistic residencies under festivals’ wings.
By connecting festivals between
themselves and with their stakeholders - artists, cities, regions, businesses...
- EFA facilitates the exchanges
and sharing of expertise and
best practices. This strengthens
the capacity of festivals to
create impactful cultural experiences while fostering the growth and
advancement of skills within the cultural and creative sectors.