2025 is set to become a landmark year in European politics – not least within the EU system, where current geopolitical tensions and political unrest are influencing discussions on entirely new priorities in major policy areas such as security and competitiveness. This will likely have consequences for the arts and culture sector, including artistic education, which is why AEC, together with its European partners, is currently fully engaged in a range of campaigns aimed at highlighting the needs of our sector.

Below, we present an overview of the various campaigns and consultations in which AEC is participating – not only to raise awareness of our needs but also to showcase the contribution our sector makes to European society and to the concept of European added value.

Ask – Pay – Trust

AEC supports Culture Action Europe’s campaign Ask, Pay, Trust, which was launched in March.
The campaign calls for culture to be placed at the heart of changemaking during a time of division and crises. To help culture help Europe, we need to Ask, Pay, and Trust the Artist:

‣ Ask for our expertise: Artists and cultural professionals should be part of every policy discussion, bringing creativity and innovative approaches to the table.
 ‣ Pay for our labour: Ensure decent working conditions and fair remuneration for the use of intellectual property. Invest in culture to help build a more resilient Europe.
 ‣ Trust our process: Embrace the unpredictability of the arts—we deliver results, even if we don’t always tick every box.

The Future of Framework Programme 10

In collaboration with AEC and other partners, ELIA has launched a series of recommendations for the upcoming Framework Programme 10 (FP10), the European Union’s research and innovation funding programme. It is crucial for higher education and research institutions that EU funding instruments recognise the arts as a domain of knowledge and support excellence in artistic research.

Digital Ethics Open Letter

Together with several European networks and projects, AEC has signed an open letter addressed to the European Commission, urging it to prioritise independent, open-source, and European digital tools and diversify its digital portfolio (for communication, workflow automation, etc.), thereby reducing reliance on tech giants. As a first step, the letter proposes introducing new ethical digital alternatives criteria in the upcoming Creative Europe calls for applications.

Multiannual Financial Framework

The European Commission is preparing the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s long-term budget for 2028–2034. Following President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines for the 2024–2029 European Commission, the goal is to create a simpler, more focused, and responsive budget that reflects European strategic priorities.
Within the cultural and creative sector, we are concerned that the important Creative Europe programme could disappear in favour of a few large budget areas, where our sector risks being sidelined.
AEC is therefore actively advocating to preserve Creative Europe, as well as ensuring culture’s presence within the two other essential programmes, Horizon and Erasmus.

Culture Compass

We have previously mentioned Culture Compass, the EU’s overarching policy document for culture, currently under development and expected to be finalised in 2026.
Currently, an official consultation process is underway on the European Commission’s website and AEC is participating both in the official consultation and behind the scenes. 

AEC Meets with the European Commission

Right after Easter, AEC had the opportunity to meet with key figures at the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) of the European Commission to share updates and strengthen ties.

Joining the meeting from the European Commission were:

  • Georg Häusler – Director for Culture, Creativity and Sport
  • Susanne Hollmann – Senior Expert for Strategic Policy Development and the Music Moves Europe initiative
  • Olivier Fontaine – Team Leader for International Cultural Relations

Representing AEC were Executive Director Finn Schumacker, General Manager Linda Messas, and Communication Manager Alessandra Callegari.

The meeting covered several key topics, including an update on AEC’s work, the successful award of our new Creative Europe grant, and the rollout of the AEC Strategy 2030. We also discussed AEC’s growing focus on Artistic Research and its importance in shaping future cultural policies.

There was also a moment to celebrate MusiQuE’s 10th anniversary, and we received the latest insights on the consultation process for the upcoming European Culture Compass – an important document for setting the EU’s cultural policy priorities.

Another topic was the new internal setup at DG EAC, where no fewer than three Commissioners are now overseeing different cultural and educational areas, a change that brings both challenges and new dynamics to the daily work at the Commission.

All in all, a very valuable exchange that helps ensure AEC’s priorities and the voice of higher music education are firmly on the European agenda!