On Tuesday 29 September, the Civil Society Platform on Access to Culture presents its recommendations and further actions in public during the Culture Forum in Brussels organised by the European Commission. 50 European-wide organisations, networks, foundations, civil society initiatives from the cultural sector worked since 5 June 2008 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. The civil society platforms initiated by the European Commission in 2008 (on cultural and creative industries, intercultural dialogue and access to culture) 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. Next steps of the Platform foresee to include the wider sector into the consultation and endorsement process of the Paper, identify suitable actions in different stages of policy making and organise a strong positioning of its goals in the overall European policy. The European Culture Forum from 28-30 September brings together participants from culture civil society, Member States and EU institutions to take stock of progress in implementing the European Agenda for Culture. Keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops will all feed the debate, built around the three strategic objectives of the agenda: cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue ; culture as a catalyst for creativity ; and culture as a vital element in the EU’s international relations. Download the press release here! Access to Culture Toolkit: • Participating organisations • Executive Summary (in English) • Executive Summary (in Spanish) • 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 Fiches Next Steps: • Best Practices • Info Request Form • Lobbying Opportunities Form For further information, the list of networks who contributed to the process and full documentation including working group reports, best practices, please contact the Secretariat of the Access to Culture Platform at: European House for Culture Place Flagey 18 1050 Brussels, Belgium T 0032 9 241 8081 E houseforculture@efa-aef.eu W www.efa-aef.eu/en/activities/european-house-for-culture Board of the Access to Culture Platform: AEOM/ Jamtli, European Festivals Association, International network for Contemporary Performing Arts IETM, HorsLesMurs/ Circostrada Network, Culture Action Europe Chair: Mercedes Giovinazzo, Interarts Participating organizations: ACCR - Association des Centres Culturels de Rencontre, AEOM - Association of European open Air Museums / JAMTLI, CEATL - Conseil Européen des Associations de Traducteurs Littéraires, Culture Action Europe – EFAH, EAYF - European Academy of Yuste Foundation, EBLIDA - European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations, EBLUL - European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages, ECA - European Council of Artists, EFA – European Festivals Association, EFAP - European Forum for Architectural Policies, ELIA - European League of Institutes of the Arts, EMC - European Music Council, EMIRA - Euro-Mediterranean and International Research Association, ENCATC - European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centers, ENCC - European Network of Cultural Centres, ETC - European Theatre Convention, EUNIC - European Union National Institutes for Culture, EUNIC - European Union National Institutes for Culture / Goethe Institute, EUNIC - European Union National Institutes for Culture / Romanian Information Centre, EUROPA NOSTRA, European Association for the Education of Adults, European Association of Conservatoires (AEC), European Association of Conservatoires (AEC) / Royal Flemish Conservatoire, EWC - European Writers Congress, Felix Meritis Foundation, FEP - Federation of European Publishers, FERA - Federation of the European Film Directors, FIM - International Federation of Musicians, HorsLesMurs / Circostrada Network, IDEA Europe, IETM - International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts, IFA - International Federation of Actors, Interarts Foundation, Lieux Publics / In Situ, NEMO - The Network of European Museum Organisations, Pearle* - Performing Arts Employers Associations League Europe, REMA - Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne, Réseau Art Nouveau Network, RESEO - European Network for Opera and Dance Education, UTE - Union of the Theatres of Europe