ECA has sent the following comment to the Mayor of Prague Dr. Pavel Bém and the Councilman for Culture Ing. Milan Richter on 8 October.
Dear Sir
On behalf of the Annual General Assembly of ECA the umbrella organisation of professional artists' associations from 25 countries across Europe, which was held in Sibiu, Romania on the 1st of October 2007, we call on the Mayor of Prague, the City Councilman for Culture and the all members of Prague City Council as well as the City Assembly to take into consideration the negative impact of the city government's recent decision to suspend Prague's cultural grants.
We are convinced that the decision is ill advised, especially in view of the fact that culture has lately acquired a new socio-political importance in Europe as the European Union has begun to make it a major part of its agenda. The EU’s manifesto on culture in Europe was issued in May this year – to be adopted in November by the European Parliament – as the Union's first cultural policy to be implemented by the individual member states and by the regions. The document takes into consideration not only the undeniable economic value of culture but also its non-economic benefits.
The unfortunate decision of the City of Prague endangers international cultural cooperation that is one of our major concerns as it affects the pan-European artists' community.
We therefore urge you, for the benefit of the Prague, Czech and international public to reconsider your decision and call on The City Council of Prague to respect the decisions of the Grant Commission and thereby restore the cultural funding to all not involved in the dispute.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Burke
ECA President