Creative Europe 2014-2020: A New Programme - A New Cultural Policy As Well?

Abstract

In 2011 the European Commission developed a proposal for a regulation for the new framework programme for the cultural and creative sector for the 2014-2020 Financial Framework. The present programmes "Culture" (2007-2013), MEDIA for the audio-visual sector (2007-2013), and MEDIA Mundus for cooperation with professionals from third countries in the audio-visual area (2011-2013) are thereby to be brought together under a common framework and a new facility for providing financing (guarantee fund) is to be created. This study provides an overview of central changes in cultural support beginning in 2014, discusses the positions of the European Council and the European Parliament concerning the Commission's proposal, and presents criticisms put forth by civil-society stakeholders and members of the public. For this purpose, publicly stated positions and newspaper opinion pieces have been examined in an analysis of content and discourse, and individual voices from civil society have been surveyed via semi-structured interviews. Central points of criticism from the public, civil society and the European Parliament are, among others, the economic style of the programme, with its emphasis on competition, employment and the strategic development of audiences. Furthermore, the idea of culture in the new programme has been criticised, since it describes culture solely as a good and service, and the non-commercial value of culture is not expressed.