EU ministers gave the green light on Tuesday 16 May to EU Council conclusions on exiled artists. Approved during the Culture section of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS), the text focuses particularly on Ukrainian refugees (see EUROPE 13163/6).
The Council calls on Member States to promote “safe havens” for artists in exile. While noting that this is temporary protection, it encourages EU countries to integrate exiled artists into local cultural life.
In addition, the Council asks the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs to present a report on bilateral EU and national assistance to the Ukrainian cultural sector.
The conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/6wu
Ukrainian cultural sector
However, the ministers also discussed EU support for the Ukrainian cultural and creative sector (CCS) more generally. This was a point raised by Poland, which believes that the Union “can do more”.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, “by the end of March [2023], 1,373 cultural infrastructures, installations and objects” as well as “almost a third of [cultural heritage objects] have been destroyed” for “damage that is estimated to amount to $2.6 billion”, emphasised the Polish Minister of Culture, Piotr Gliński. In particular, he called for the establishment of a European fund dedicated to the reconstruction of the CCS in Ukraine.
In a pre-recorded video, Ukrainian Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko also asked the EU to increase “grant support for the creation of new cultural projects and content in Ukraine as well as the translation and publishing of books for our libraries”.
Commission Vice-President Margarítis Schinás defended his institution, saying it had allocated about €10 million to the Ukrainian CCS. He also announced the signing of a contract that will enable the destitution of €5 million from Creative Europe and the creation of a group of experts dedicated to the cultural reconstruction of Ukraine. (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)