“We need a strong theatre sector in Europe!” declared together ETC, its members and the six other networks invited to join the debate in Bratislava. Now, just before the European elections and the decisions about Creative Europe in 2021-2017, a mobilisation for a strong and artistic theatre sector is highly needed.

Together with the other networks, ETC developed a twofold plan:

• We ask for more support for international collaboration and more awareness of the importance of the theatre’s sector in the next Creative Europe (2021-2027) funding programme of the European Commission;
• We suggest that specific sectorial measures are introduced to recognise the specifications of our sector. We would like to introduce a European Theatre Forum!

The European Theatre Forum would be a place for debates, visionary thinking, exchange of artistic development and information resource. It will strengthen theatre as important art form in Europe and this can only be made possible with the strong support of the European Commission.

The following networks have participated in the round table and dialogue panel: ASSITEJ International, East European Performing Arts Platform, ENCATC, European Theatre Research Network, IETM and mitos21.

The dialogue panel was joined by Barbara Gessler, Head of Unit Creative Europe, Directorate General for Education and Culture, European Commission.