On 23-26 May 2019 elections to the European Parliament will be held. In joint action with ELIA and in consultation with Culture Action Europe (CAE), the AEC has worked out a set of questions / Wahlprüfsteine which focus specifically on higher arts education issues. These questions are meant to be submitted to parties or individual candidates for comment and response in the run-up of the election.
 

AEC / ELIA questions (Wahlprüfsteine) for the European elections

  1. Recent statements emerging from the European decision making bodies are regularly pointing out that culture is key to build a European identity and "the glue that holds Europe together". Do you agree with this statement? If so, what specific measures are you planning to strengthen the cohesion of European societies through art and culture?
  2. Art education within school curricula is of prime importance to support the intellectual and creative development of our children. What specific measures do you intend to make educational offers in the field of the arts and culture accessible to every single adolescent citizen of the European Union?
  3. What is, in your opinion, the responsibility of politics for ensuring adequate infrastructure and funding to enable the performance, preservation and promotion of arts and art education at all levels? What contribution do you expect from higher art education institutions?
  4. Innovation and critical thinking are based on creativity, artistic work and research. What measures are you planning to enable institutions of higher art education to strengthen research-based teaching, artistic research and the development of new blended competences?

What can AEC members do?

  • Make use of the arguments that are raised in the questions above when meeting your local and national candidates in face-to-face meetings or on the social media.
  • Address representatives of the parties that run for the European elections, and ask them for their positions on cultural and educational issues using the Wahlprüfsteine.
  • Participate in the Jammarts Live Online Dialogue on 25 April giving the opportunity to discuss the fundamental role of culture in the progress of the European Union with EU parliament candidates.
  • Contribute to joining forces and thus strengthening the voice of higher art education.