Our work on policy and advocacy for the next four years

Starting in 2025, as part of our new JuST: Socio-Cultural Centres for Just Sustainability Transitions project, we will launch a series of new initiatives in policy and advocacy. These actions aim to promote the needs and values of the socio-cultural sector, while empowering our members in their advocacy efforts.

Below is a brief overview of the planned actions, focused on mobilising the cultural sector across all levels of governance - from local and regional, to national, European, and international.

The EU Backoffice podcast series

Conceived and implemented in collaboration with Reset! Network, this new podcast series will contribute to bringing local socio-cultural organisations closer to European politics and policy. All in all, we will produce 12 podcast episodes, published every three months starting from September 2025. You will find them for free on our website and social media channels, as well as on a number of community radios across Europe.

Advocacy school for ENCC members

A new training program on advocacy will enable ENCC members to develop the skills needed to advocate effectively at both the European and national levels. The first two online sessions will focus on participant’s experience with a need-oriented approach. By providing a safe space for the sharing of best practices, but also failure stories, we will enable a structured analysis leading to solving challenges strategically. The sessions foreseen in 2025 will take place in May and October. Additional online meetings will be organised to bridge between the the different sessions of the advocacy school, to allow members to connect and discuss. More information will be published soon.

Policy brief series

Each year, we will lead the preparation of a policy brief in collaboration with our members and thematic working groups, involving experts and other networks from the cultural sectors and beyond. The topics tackled within this participative process will be aligned with the yearly priorities, namely:

2025: Policy brief on access to and participation in culture, with a focus on marginalised groups and young people, from an intersectional perspective;

2026: Policy brief (Ethical Charter) on ethical concerns, recommendations and red lines regarding digital infrastructure, data-driven processes and artificial intelligence in the specific context of the cultural sector, realised in cooperation with the Digital Ethics working group;

2027: Ecosystem for Culture for Shared, Smart, Innovative Territories though Culture, realised in cooperation with the members of the Non Urban Culture Working Group and team/labs of the Horizon Europe project IN SITU;

2028: Policy brief on Culture and (Global) Sustainability, designed in cooperation with other organisations within and beyond the cultural sector active on the topic of sustainability.

Also, the establishment of a focus group will help connect different actors, both ENCC members and other stakeholders, who have particuar expertise on the annual topic.

Joint work with other cutltural networks

Recognising the importance of European cultural networks collectively shaping cultural policy in Europe and providing the insights needed to implement relevant cultural policies, we will continue collaborating with Culture Action Europe and other cultural networks, with a view to contributing to a unified advocacy effort. Together, we will amplify and elevate the voice of the cultural and creative sector, bringing the specific and unique perspective of socio-culture.

Bridge Makers

Lastly, the new Bridge Makers Programme will continue the path started with Closing the Gap. Six round tables will serve as hubs, bringing together representatives from civil society organisations, cultural operators, local authorities, policymakers, and other stakeholders to collaborate on purpose-driven local connections, alliances, and networks aimed at fostering sustainable societies. In the final year of the project, all hosts - our bridge-makers - will convene with programme experts to discuss lessons learned, culminating in a comprehensive output that wil be disseminated among all interested stakeholders and partners.

We want to hear from you

Do you want to contribute to the policy and advocacy work foreseen in JuST, or need further information? Please reach out to Julia, our policy and advocacy officer julia.kasten@encc.eu. There will be even more opportunities to participate in the future. Check our open calls regarding further activities with JuST project, which are published on the website and in the newsletter.