Advocacy

Advocacy is one of the main priorities and core tasks of the AEC. AEC understands advocacy as systematic and targeted actions to represent and safeguard the interests of its members, in particular vis-à-vis political decision-makers and partner organisations, but also with other stakeholders and the civil society as a whole.

AEC acts as advocates for its members institutions’ activities on several levels:

We represent the interests of AEC members vis-à-vis the organs and institutions of the European Union (EU) and beyond, by:
- meeting regularly with members of the European Parliament and the European Commission
- acting as the natural contact for the EU institutions when matters concerning Music Higher Education (HE) are discussed at hearings and consultations
- taking part in stakeholder groups, information sessions and/or conferences organised by the EU institutions and beyond
- writing policy papers
- launching campaigns or contribution to existing advocacy campaigns

We join forces with partner organisations:
- through mutual support and the creation of synergies when organising events and launching policy campaigns
- by bundling shared interests (e.g. with other actors from the higher education, art and/or cultural policy sectors)
- through active participation in the boards of partner associations

We participate in global networks:
- through regular exchange with the higher music education sector outside of Europe
- through transcontinental research projects

We support AEC member institutions in their own advocacy activities, by:
- by giving advice with regard to management issues in higher music education, such as project funding, learning & teaching, quality assurance, innovation & change
- by creating platforms for exchange and inter-institutional collaboration
- by providing models of good practice
- at the invitation of a (group of) higher music education institution(s), meeting representatives of their local governments (in order to represent the voice of the sector in the context of educational, cultural or other reforms)
- at the invitation of a (group of) higher music education institution(s), writing letters to local governments to advocate for a certain cause

Read our Advocacy Strategy!

Read our Advocacy Toolkit!

Important cultural strategies and plans at the EU level.

The two most important policies are the European Work Plan for Culture and the New European Agenda for Culture.

European Work Plan for Culture.

The European Work Plan for Culture is a strategic framework established by the European Union to guide cooperation and policymaking in the cultural sector. The current version of the plan for the period 2023-2026 outlines priorities, actions, and initiatives aimed at promoting culture within the EU and enhancing its contribution to the Union’s broader social, economic, and political goals. Here’s an overview of what the European Work Plan for Culture typically encompasses:

Objectives

Promote Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue
Enhance the Role of Culture in Social Cohesion and Well-being
Support Cultural and Creative Industries
Strengthen Cultural Heritage

New European Agenda for Culture.

The New European Agenda for Culture as adopted by the European Commission enables culture to be promoted more effectively as a vector of identity and cohesion, a driver of socio-economic development, and a factor directly nurturing peaceful relations, including through the people-to-people contacts resulting from education and youth projects, with a particular focus on the Western Balkans and Enlargement countries. The Commission also plans to use the agenda to emphasise the cultural dimension of sustainable development and to help implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Objectives

Social Dimension – Harnessing the Power of Culture for Social Cohesion and Well-Being
Economic Dimension – Supporting Jobs and Growth in the Cultural and Creative Sectors
External Dimension – Strengthening International Cultural Relations

Cultural Deal for Europe.

In 2020 Culture Action Europe of which AEC is a member, the European Cultural Foundation, and Europa Nostra jointly proposed a Cultural Deal for Europe framework. This overarching strategy aims to place culture at the centre of the European project and mainstream it across all policy fields: from the green transition to Europe’s geopolitical ambition and from the digital shift to a value-driven Union. It focuses on both facilitating the contribution of culture to Europe’s sustainable development and providing the sector with the credibility and resources for realising its full potential. By bundling together both short and long-term objectives, the Cultural Deal for Europe is envisioned as a roadmap towards a more balanced, more comprehensive, and more inclusive European development model.