There is a major shift happening in the European sector of arts festivals. A new instrument is ready for the arts-loving public and enthusiastic festival organisations: the website FestivalFinder.eu offers an important connection between the artist and the arts lover and enables us to have a deeper conversation with public authorities about the unique return on investment the arts provide.
Prominent festival makers and the European Festivals Association (EFA) are coming together with EU Commissioner Navracsics in Brussels on 5 March to examine this return on investment and formalise our engagement, together, on the successful development of the initiatives established thus far: * Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE)’s continuity – handing over its developing successful formula of ONE single programme for all arts festivals in Europe to the next Commissioner;
* the new scheme of a Travelling Arts Fund within EFFE – deepening the collaboration amongst thousands of arts festivals and their potential to support artists and arts mobility; * the training opportunities offered by The Festival Academy (an initiative of EFA)- extending the pilot scheme in China within the cultural diplomacy priorities to a global conversation in various training programmes.
Art is fundamental to every human being and can have a constructive contribution to our communities. The beauty and meaning, exaltation and opposition that are intrinsic to art make it a potentially healing force that demands our commitment.
The European Union is a joint project, a citizens’ project. A community of festival makers is indispensable to a strong alliance that can show that representation is real. The annual round table and the permanent dialogue with DG Education and Culture, as well as the European Parliament, has brought the festivals’ contribution to a higher level.
It is a privilege and a potential to bring together festivals which can refer to joint successes as well as a shared concern: Europe.