On 22 November 2011, the European Festivals Association (EFA) presented a proposal for a continued focus for festivals “Europe for Festivals – Festivals for Europe” to the Members of the European Parliament at the Committee on Culture and Education. The proposal foresees the publication of a Festival Guide, an EU Award ‘Festivals for Europe’ and a Festival Label. Its aim is to add value to the festival scene and to allow the European project to benefit from the dynamics of festivals at the same time. “Under the current EU Programme, 700 festivals apply, and only around 30 get a grant. This is discouraging, and needs to be changed,” urges EFA Secretary General Kathrin Deventer. Artistic excellence, recognition of the arts in society, access to culture, peer-to-peer learning as well as citizens’ involvement are the key conditions to be part of “Europe for Festivals – Festivals for Europe”. It reflects the value driven policy of the EU towards its ambitious Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. “A programme for European festivals aims at a more active involvement of festivals in a joint promotion of Europe and its cultural potential. It invites festivals to take up their European responsibility in shaping, developing and promoting Europe as a cultural project. In an innovative and artistic approach, it will bring Europe to festivals and festivals will bring Europe to its citizens,” underlines EFA President Darko Brlek. In the proposal for the new EU budget and a new generation of EU Culture Programmes, the European Festivals Association understands the EU’s ambition to engage in smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In this context, a strong collaboration and structural agreements between the European, national and local levels are proposed and supported by festival leaders. Following the presentation of the proposal, MEP and Chairwoman Committee on Culture and Education Doris Pack concluded: “The Parliament supports the collaboration with festivals. If we collaborate with festivals, we will have the opportunity to reach people we would never be able to reach otherwise. We can sensitise those people for our common project, for the vision of Robert Schuman.” EFA is the representative network of festivals in Europe (and beyond). In the past years, EFA has been lobbying together with festivals and partner networks for a strong inclusion of arts and culture in all EU policy areas such as external affairs or regional development. “In 2012, EFA celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2012 following the motto ‘Celebrate the Arts. Transform People. Imagine the World’. Against this background, EFA, its members and its allies confirms to the European Commission, the European Parliament and ministries at all levels to continue raising awareness of the cultural dimension in the European project,” stresses EFA Secretary General Kathrin Deventer. Related links and documents: • Europe for Festivals – Festivals for Europe programme • Call "Festivals for Europe - Europe for Festivals" • Video of Kathrin Deventer’s presentation at the CULT Committee • Speech Kathrin Deventer • Power Point Presentation on the programme • Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament • Agenda CULT Committee 22 November 2011