Working Group D4 - CODE NAME: CULTURE WATCH EUROPE!

May 17 from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm

In the last years, we have witnessed a number of worrying situations for the arts sector, especially the independent sector. In Ljubljana, in the Czech Republic, in Romania, and elsewhere (all parts of all continents!), dangerous situations arose where public policies and actions were seemingly not facilitating the development of contemporary arts!

The Council of Europe, given its long-standing involvement with the analysis of cultural policies, is attempting to contribute to the creation of a remedy.

The Organisation is discussing the further development of its natural governance observatory function under the working title of "CultureWatchEurope". This work would be based, inter alia, on an agreement between civil society (NGOs like IETM and many others) and the Council of Europe, to watch out for worrying situations for cultural rights and policies, in the Organisation's 48 member states.

The idea would involve civil society organisations signalling a situation where cultural rights were not fully respected. The Council of Europe would examine the case and, if necessary, send an expert to do additional research. At the occasion of the plenary meetings of the Council of Europe's Steering Committee for Culture, an exchange or hearing could take place with member states' government officials from the cultural sector and civil society organisations. Such approaches to observing governance work well in other policy sectors and the moment has come to reflect upon the feasibility of a specific cultural initiative.

In order to achieve this, the Council of Europe needs enhanced cooperation with the NGO sector that goes beyond its already existing structures for such cooperation. The Council can organise a political process, but only civil society NGOs directly involved in the process can identify the potentially difficult situations, and make the Council aware of them.

This working group will look at the kinds of situations with which we are faced now, the potential for the Council of Europe to address them in a joint effort with NGOs, and the potential establishment of an adequate process or structure to move forward with this important work.

<<<