WP4. Representing the sector and advocating
Objectives Work Package 4
⇒ Reinforcing the capacity of AEC and its members to represent their interests and to advocate for the promotion of the cultural and creative sector
Meet the AEC Advocacy Task Force (TF1)
- Irene GAROFALO, ELIA – European League of Institutes of the Arts
- Katharina WEINERT, EMC – European Music Council
- Manuel DAMÁSIO, GEECT – European Grouping of Film and Television Schools
- Guillermo RODRÍGUEZ, EPASA
- Nana SHARIKADZE – Tbilisi State Conservatoire
- Stefan GIES, former AEC Chief Executive and Culture Action Europe Board member
- Finn SCHUMACKER, AEC Executive Director (TF Coordinator)
Work Package 4 (WP4) addresses the need to demonstrate the role of art, culture and cultural education for the well-being of society and the relevance of AEC members as contributors to shaping society. The following tasks are foreseen in WP4:
- Developing AEC’s advocacy strategy and advocacy tools for AEC as well as for its members
The Advocacy Task Force (TF1) will:
- Identify how to best support AEC member institutions in their own advocacy activities (through a short survey)
- On this basis, develop and implement an advocacy strategy for AEC including the key messages, target groups (stakeholders, political decision-makers at various levels, general public, etc.) and tools to reach them and
- Produce an advocacy toolkit for AEC members, including tips to approach decision-makers and other target groups, tips to word key messages, as well as powerful advocacy material (folders, postcards, etc)
- Collaborating with European partners to advocate for the artist as a maker in society
The Advocacy Task Force will meet twice a year with representatives of organisations representing higher art education dealing with art disciplines beyond music, representatives of the European Music Council (EMC) and of Culture Action Europe (CAE), to share advocacy practices and discuss matters to be pursued and advocated for jointly. Key issues will include: access to the arts and to cultural education; the role of the arts and artists in society (enhancing social cohesion); fair remuneration of artists; the arts’ and Art HEIs’ contribution to make the world greener, more sustainable and more diverse, the freedom of artistic expression, etc.
- Supporting students to represent their interests as emerging professionals in the field of music & arts
AEC is currently providing support to a network of HME students in building an association for students in music and the arts (EPASA – European Performing Arts Students’ Association). AEC will keep collaborating with the newly established student association by:
- Enabling a group of students involved in the student association to meet and to disseminate their activities (financial and administrative support)
- Encourage them to exchange, discuss and plan how to empower students in HMEIs
