On June 23, the RESISTANCE NOW! TOGETHER coalition convened a roundtable creating a space for dialogue between EU institutions and civil society on the future of artistic freedom in the European Union.
At a time when artistic freedom is facing growing challenges across Europe, from political interference in cultural institutions to censorship and restrictions on independent cultural expression, the discussion focused on how the EU can strengthen its role in safeguarding an open, diverse, and resilient cultural sector.
The participation of Commissioner Glenn Micallef and CULT Chair Nela Riehl underscored the importance and timeliness of this conversation. We are grateful for their engagement and willingness to exchange with civil society on the future of artistic freedom in Europe.
A central theme of the roundtable was the development of a European Artistic Freedom Act (EAFA), a civil society-led proposal that members of the RESISTANCE NOW! TOGETHER coalition have been developing over the past year with the support of legal experts and pro bono law firms. The initiative seeks to transform artistic freedom from a shared principle into a practical and enforceable right for artists and cultural institutions across the EU.
The meeting marked an important milestone in this process. It provided a valuable opportunity to share perspectives, experiences, and ideas across institutions and civil society, helping to strengthen the proposal, refine the civil society draft currently under development, and ensure that a diversity of viewpoints informs the work moving forward.
The richness of the discussion confirmed both the urgency of the issue and the growing momentum behind stronger European action to protect artistic freedom.
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RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER coalition
Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI)
ARC Research and Consultancy (ARC)
Culture Action Europe (CAE)
European Theatre Convention (ETC)
Freemuse
Open Culture Platform (OCP)
Opera Europa
Pearle* Live Performance Europe
Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) | Free Republic of Vienna
🔗 For more information: www.resistance-now-together.eu
