Policy update: November 2026

On November 12th, the day the Culture Compass for Europe was published, we attended the official handover of Towards the Culture Compass: a Sector Blueprint to culture commissioner Glenn Micallef, held by Culture Action Europe at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels.

The event marked an important milestone in the ongoing dialogue between the cultural and socio-cultural sector and European institutions. Since the onset of the consultation with Micallef back in March, we have witnessed a number of significant developments: on the one hand, the growing advocacy capacities within the cultural sector itself and the strengthening of cooperation efforts between the sector and the institutions, and on the other, the solidification of the connection between European and national cultural policies, achieved thanks to a sustained outreach effort towards national ministries. The occasion was further marked by the success of the Ask, Pay, Trust campaign, which reached 2,000 signatures.

On the same day, the commissioner held a press conference where he underlined the crucial role of culture in today’s complex geopolitical context. His remarks reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to integrating culture as a strategic component in policymaking. As AgoraEU and other funding schemes for the 2028–2034 cycle are still under discussion, the impact of the Compass will depend on effective implementation and initiatives by European policymakers, especially in terms of clarity on funding. To ensure that culture can thrive while contributing to the Commission's strategic priorities, the sector will have to keep up its advocacy work.

Find more context here.

What's next:

On November 19th, 2025, at 11.00 CET, Culture Action Europe will host a public online meeting with guest speakers from DG EAC, to walk participants through the Culture Compass, share first reflections, and create an open space to collectively consider how the Culture Compass can shape our next steps.