Sistema Europe is now an official supporter of the European Agenda for Music (EAM) and we encourage all Sistema programmes to get involved while we continue to develop Sistema Europe's connections with the wider European network of cultural organisations.
What is the European Agenda for Music and why would I want to get involved?
The EAM is being developed to bring together the diverse voices within the European music sector in determining a common vision and strategy for the future.
The idea of the agenda has been developed by the European Music Council (EMC), which is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development and promotion of all genres and types of music in Europe. The EMC works intensely to consult and hear voices from across the European music sector and has developed the agenda to ensure that all that is possible is done to achieve the common goal of these organisations: namely, a thriving music sector that continues to play an essential role in the European landscape.
The agenda itself is based on a manifesto, five music rights and nine key themes, which cover the main issues that the EMC has come across in discussions with partners over the past few years and whose final form was established in cooperation with seven working groups from different areas of the music sector.
The agendas nine key themes target change and strive for...:
- A stronger sense of European identity through a shared cultural vision
- A recognised and valued music sector and a better understanding of the needs of all its diverse components
- Improved access for each and every member of society to participate in music, in formal and non-formal settings
- Greater diversity in all parts of the music sector, including personal background, gender, music genre, type of venue, funding opportunities etc.
- Increased professionalisation of the music sector
- Increased opportunities for interaction within the music sector as well as with non-music sectors and across borders
- Concrete changes in legislation targeting a range of priorities at European, national, regional and local levels
- A funding framework that includes public and private support or combinations thereof and that responds to the needs of a diverse music ecosystem
- A more balanced market for music that supports the work of small and medium-size music companies and organisations
To find out more about the EAM and its key themes, visit the official website at http://europeanagendaformusic.eu/#key-themes
Sounds great. How can I get involved?
In general, the EMC asks interested parties to get in touch personally via eam@emc-imc.org, so as to enter into discussion on how to provide momentum nationally, regionally and locally.
More specifically, there are also two upcoming events in May and June, which Sistema Europe programmes could attend, should they wish to find out more, ask questions about or consider how to get involved in the European Agenda for Music.
The EAM at Classical: NEXT 18 in May
At this year‘s Classical: NEXT in Rotterdam, Ruth Jakobi (Secretary General, European Music Council) & Stef Coninx (International Relations & Classical Music, Flanders Arts Institute) will ask the musical organisations in attendance how they can work together to implement concrete measures for the realisation of the European Agenda for Music.
Focusing on classical music, this session will outline the EAM‘s objectives and look to define priorities, while specifically addressing the question of how stakeholders from the classical sector can become involved in and contribute to the impact of the European Agenda for Music.
To find out more about attending, visit the event posting on the Classical: NEXT website by clicking here.
The EAM at the 8th European Forum on Music in June
This year’s edition of the European Forum on Music, entitled Looking Back – Looking Forward. The Future of Europe’s Musical Roots, will take place in Oslo from Thursday the 7th to Sunday the 10th June and will feature a dedicated session on the European Agenda for Music. In this session, the European Music Council will talk to those in attendance about the implementation of the agenda and what the next steps towards such should be.
For more information about the 8th European Forum on Music and links to registration, visit the EMC‘s event page by clicking here.