Culture: the Compass for Europe’s Future. Cultural Deal for Europe annual policy conversation

The “Culture: the Compass for Europe’s Future. Cultural Deal for Europe annual policy conversation” event will take place in Brussels on 4 February, co-hosted by Culture Action Europe, Europa Nostra, the European Cultural Foundation and BOZAR Brussels.

2025 marks a critical year for the European Union and its strategic direction. The Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture & Sport will lead the creation of a new strategic framework called the ‘Culture Compass,’ “to guide and harness the multiple dimensions of culture”. If culture is Europe’s guiding star, where will this new strategy take us?

At the same time, all the Commissioners are spotlighting the upcoming Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) — the EU’s new seven-year budget. They are framing it as a “simpler, more focused, and adaptable long-term budget” with the potential to bring about significant changes. Given culture’s importance to Europe, how will it fit into this crucial budget?

This year’s Cultural Deal for Europe policy conversation – taking place on February 4 2025 – will tackle these questions by focusing on three main topics:

• How can culture and cultural heritage take a leading role in shaping Europe’s future?
• How can they foster a shared European sentiment and a common public space?
• What steps can we take together to support a democratic, diverse, and peaceful Europe?