The development of the cultural industries over the past decades has unproportionally favoured big cultural events. Artistic content tends to be treated like any other good in a world of free trade and competition regulations. At the same time the conditions, under which most of the artists create their works or perform, have been gradually worsening.
Europe is known for a long tradition of public and private support for culture and art. As a matter of fact creativity is associated with a space granted to the artists that enables them to concentrate on the quality of their work.
The European Council of Artists (ECA), representing artists’ umbrella organisations in 24 European countries, believes that cultural industries and private sponsorship cannot fully replace the obligations of the public and the state to encourage a flourishing cultural climate. Both public and state involvement are under all circumstances highly essential. Any discussion concerning cultural industries in Europe ought to reflect on the manifold interdependences between political institutions, cultural industries and the artists.
ECA refers to its involvement in the world campaign for a new instrument securing cultural diversity by means of an international treaty that should once and for all guarantee, that cultural goods and services must not automatically be dealt with in accordance with general trade regulations. To that effect ECA also refers to what it considers the obligation of the European governments, which is to defend the “cultural exception” in any and every world trade negotiation.
On behalf of the Executive Committee, 16. April, 2003
Kjeld Løfting,
Secretary General