Representatives of EU Member States and the European Commission at official level, NGOs and other representatives gathered for two days on one of our most important cultural policy issues: On the freedom to create.
"Artists' rights and opportunities to express themselves, be active and receive compensation for their work look very different around the world. The program featured artists who live in difficult conditions with a risk of threats and violence. Several of the program items were striking, but also provided inspiration to continue working to improve the conditions for artists, both in Sweden and internationally, says Mika Romanus, Director of the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, who participated in the conference.
The conference was based on the premise that artistic freedom is a prerequisite for cultural and creative industries to flourish.
"The programme provided a broad picture of the challenges facing cultural life and provided an opportunity to discuss several perspectives on artistic freedom. The artists' conditions were also highlighted in the discussions that focused on cultural and creative industries, which was positive, Mika Romanus concludes.