Like many other organisations, the AEC has published a Message of its President on the corona crisis and launched a very well received website listing Tools & Suggestions how to keep the Music Higher Education business running online.
But the current events not only dominate our usual professional and private lives, we are also aware that the world after Covid-19 might look different than we are used to. Right now, we are not only concerned about those who are directly affected by the disease, but also about those who are about losing their jobs and their income as a result of the crisis. Many of them are active in the field of art and music, not only performing freelancers and music educators, but also operators of concert venues and festivals. Under the leadership of LiveEurope, one of our partner organisations, representing the interests of concert venues, the AEC has signed together with almost 40 other European associations, a call addressing political decision-makers to consolidate the music ecosystem and to make any effort to preserve and enhance cultural diversity.
We are glad that similar initiatives also emerge from the core of the European Parliament. Initiated by the Green Group, a campaign to support the cultural and creative sector has been launched and is now supported not only by over 70 members of European Parliament across all parties, but also by many private individuals and associations, such as the AEC.
A somewhat different initiative, but one that is no less important for the work of AEC and its members, is calling the European Commission to adapt the rules to operate EU-funded projects to the conditions of the crisis. Many project activities have had to be suspended, schedules can't be kept and money cannot be spent. Read more about this call for immediate support here, also undersigned by the AEC.
However, it must be pointed to those many small, often symbolically powerful initiatives that emerge from our community. One of them, as representative of many others, is #EUROBALCON, launched by the two major French Conservatoires supérieurs in Lyon and Paris. Unpack your instruments and join!