Voices of Culture, the platform for dialogue offered to civil society by the European Commission, is inviting interested organisations from EU member states to apply to participate in the upcoming topic on Culture and Creative Sectors and Industries driving Green Transition and facing the Energy Crisis. This fourth Voices of Culture topic 2021-2023 will reflect on the state of the art and generate recommendations for policy and actions for decision-makers on this topic.
It is evident that human societies face multiple, compounding existential risks on a scale and of a complexity that are barely comprehensible. We are far from prepared to face them nor well progressed in achieving the profound, transformative changes to our ways of living that we need if we are to survive en masse.
Europe is experiencing an energy crisis and inflation, and the world is facing a looming food crisis, along with worsening climate change effects, pollution, and biodiversity loss. It is crucial that effective and enduring solutions are found at an unprecedented speed and scale, both individually and collectively.
Cultural activities and creative industries are amongst Europe’s most competitive and energy-intensive industries that contribute to Green House Gas emissions and waste production. They were cruelly affected or transformed by the effects of COVID-19, resulting in notably increased emissions in some cases. However, Culture and creativity offer a source of innovation for climate change mitigation, hold the key to reshaping behaviours and living practices meaningfully and at scale, and are a source of principles and behaviours for societal resilience in the face of climate change effects. It is indeed time to harness the power of cultural activities and the CCSI in service of human transformation, accelerating the green transition and, in the immediate context, contributing to address the energy crisis and resulting energy poverty.
Successful applicants will be invited to a Brainstorming meeting in the European Capital of Culture 2024, Tartu in Estonia, on 15 and 16 June 2023.
Tartu has been selected for the European Commission´s mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 and is moving towards climate neutality. With the artistic concept for the Tartu European Capital of Culture 2024 being “Arts of Survival” these initiatives makes Tartu a most inspiring destination for this specific Voices of Culture topic.
Selected participants are invited to reflect on the following questions for the Brainstorming discussion:
After the Brainstorming meeting the selected participants will jointly write a Brainstorming report of around 20-30 pages reflecting on their discussions and recommendations for decision makers on this topic. The report will be presented to the European Commission at a Dialogue meeting on 12 September 2023 in Brussels. The report writing process will be facilitated by the Voices of Culture team, but the participants will be responsible for writing and editing the content.
The call is open to representatives of the cultural and creative sectors and other relevant sectors (professional organisations, cultural institutions, non-governmental organisations, European networks, foundations, think tanks, private organisations, etc.) with relevant expertise on the topic Culture and Creative Sectors and Industries driving Green Transition and facing the Energy Crisis.
Organisations applying must be based in one of the 27 EU Member States.
Voices Of Culture covers flights/ train tickets, up to two night’s accommodation in Tartu incl. breakfast. Lunch will be provided on the 15 and 16 June. Other meals and airport transfer will be covered by max 2x 30 EURO per diem per day depending on whether you stay one or two nights.
Deadline: 3 May 2023
Apply here.
