Founded in 2018, Culture Solutions is a not-for-profit service provider of trust-building space, know-how circulation and information sharing. We produce commons. We focus our services in 5 areas:
Although EU institutions and Member States’ administrations often do their best to inform the public about what they do, their resources and time to communicate externally are limited.
For the sake of transparency and equal access to policy-making, Culture Solutions gathers and shares relevant information on EU policy-making in the field of EU international cultural relations.
We share on social media and this website as well as in dedicated and special events and activities we organise with our partners (see our News pages).
Before creating one, we will first evaluate the need for a specialised newsletter.
What we have done so far in this area:
In November 2020, culture Solutions facilitated the EEAS conference on The role of the European Union on the Protection and Enhancement of Cultural Heritage in conflict and crisis. This blog summarises the main take-aways of the conference and recommends the launch of specific European communities of practice in this field.
Between 17 and 20 September 2020, Amsterdam played host to this year’s Forum on European Culture. cultureSolutions collaborator Nicole McNeilly was at a selection of the events. She gives a short reflection on the event’s strengths and challenges.
See the blog by Nicole McNeilly.
The first free and open sectoral mapping on classical music in China to enhance cultural cooperation between Europeans and Chinese cultural professionals
If you wish to partner with us to produce and share more mappings on a given sector, country or region, contact us!
From June 26-29, Culture Solutions attended the EUNIC Siena Cultural Relations Forum. As the last part of the “CreW Cultural Relations at Work project”, intending to foster discussion and reflection on cultural diplomacy between policy-makers, practitioners and academics. See the blog by SJohanna Suo and Virgine Wyart.
culture Solutions took part in Culture4Future 2019, an international colloquium organised by the European Commission that aimed at promoting culture, creativity, innovation and dialogue as key drivers for inclusive development and peace. See the blog by Sandra Coumans.
Culture Solutions attended the CCSC kick-off conference and drew lessons from it for its own development. See the blog by Susan van Esch and Damien Helly.
Many Europeans working in external cultural action would like to have more opportunities to learn and share from their peers and colleagues.
Because of the institutional affiliations and mandates or because of the distance existing between officials and cultural professionals and artists, the potential for dialogue and encounters is limited.
Culture solutions creates conditions for exchanges between professionals who rarely have the opportunity to meet and deepen their relationship.
Our team and friends representing Culture Solutions intervene in our own events and/or in our partners’ activities as contributors, curators, co-designers, facilitators, moderators or mediators.
What we have done so far in this area:
After successfully facilitating the virtual conference “Restoring Livelihoods Through Culture in Yemen”, in this article Nicole McNeilly and Bart Hesseling look into the key themes and future developments for the UNESCO-EU project.
culture Solutions was invited to moderate the round table “International cultural policies: How do institutions create frameworks conducive to developing cultural projects?” at the international theatre festival Avignon OFF. Sandra Coumans reports about it in her blog.
culture Solutions contributed to the EU Romanian Presidency conference that informed Council Conclusions on young creative generations.
On 25th April Damien activated the online jammart.eu chatroom on rights, values and identities, together with Culture Action Europe colleagues.
Even if Culture Solutions, as a social innovation group, is much more than a think and do tank, we also are one, providing non-partisan and evidence-base monitoring and analysis of EU policies in the field of international cultural relations.
Our flagship analytical product is a yearly report on the implementation of EU international cultural relations policies.
We also produce, edit and publish blogs and specific studies by guest authors.
What we have done so far in this area:
The New European Bauhaus is an environmental, economic and cultural project, aiming to combine design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability and investment. Gabrielle Bernoville and Damien Helly share some tips with EU decision-makers to reflect through the project’s design phase in this article.
In this blog entry, Gabrielle Bernoville explores the potential of the EUNIC-led project “European Spaces of Culture” for EU International Cultural Relations. Taking stock of the second EUNIC call for ideas, it focuses on the six selected pilot spaces and sketches ways to scale up these models into a Cultural Team Europe approach.
In November 2020, culture Solutions facilitated the EEAS conference on The role of the European Union on the Protection and Enhancement of Cultural Heritage in conflict and crisis. This blog summarises the main take-aways of the conference and recommends the launch of specific European communities of practice in this field.
In this blog post Celia Zayas and Alexandra Gil question the link between colonialism and the EU integration process, as well as how EU external cultural action can be the perfect tool for mutual learning, collaboration and co-creation in a decolonizing process.
Following our 5 tips on country-based programming, we now offer you a list of 10 priorities for regional and global cultural programming. Check out the blog by Damien Helly.
After the adoption of the new multiannual budget, EU Delegations are busy with the programming of external action and international cooperation funds for the next seven years. For tips on country-based cultural programming see the blog by Damien Helly.
The international dimension of the EU’s Higher Education Erasmus+ programme contributes to EU international cultural relations. While the next EU budget (2021-2027) is being negotiated this post looks at Erasmus+’ impact and its role in the EU’s public and cultural diplomacy efforts. See the blog by Constance Bobotsi.
Our Composing Trust 2019/2020 research report aims to become a reference knowledge resource on EU international cultural relations for the new 2019 European Parliament and Commission as well as for all those who engage with institutions on this agenda.
Life-long learning has become an imperative for everyone in a rapidly changing world.
We will design and conduct specialised training and learning activities to enhance the skills of all those who want to contribute to better EU international cultural relations. By doing so, we will also keep learning from you.
Some will need to learn how to develop the cultural side of their international work; others will benefit from know-how exchange on EU policies and their contributions to them; some will realise they still can learn a lot to work in a truly European way.
What we have done so far in this area:
Culture Solutions attended the European Lab Camp in Lyon and implemented a experimental workshop aimed at bridging the gap between cultural practitioners and EU international cultural policies See the blog by Camilla Colombo and Damien Helly.
Culture Solutions is a partner of the Arty Farty’s Lyon 2019 European Lab Camp. We design and carry out a workshop on ‘European creatives overseas’ after 2019 European elections.
We are also doers and can contribute to your action by sharing our experience, contacts, networks and advice. We love to create striking emotions across borders through efficient initiatives.
If you:
come to us and let’s have a chat!
