Industrigatan 2A, 10tr 112 46 Stockholm
Telefon: 08 - 667 88 90, Telefax: 08 - 667 88 11
e-post: council@klys.se, webb: www.klys.se

Adress:
Industrigatan 2A, 10 tr
112 46 Stockholm

Telefon: 08-667 88 90
Telefax: 08-667 88 11
E-post: council@klys.se

3 oktober 2007

TO THE PRESS, COLLEAGUES AND COOPERATION PARTNERS

 

RESOLUTION

On the occasion of the 2007 European Council of Artists' conference
Artists, Creativity, Society: Challenges for the Status of the Artist in
the Beginning of the 21st century in Sibiu, cultural capital of Europe,
the participants representing national umbrellas of professional artists'
associations from 16 European countries from inside and outside the
European Union met to discuss the social status of the artist and related
matters.

Taking into account the provisions of the UNESCO Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
and the Communication of the European Commission of April 2007
regarding the role of culture, we support the analyses and conclusions
of the 2006 Status of the Artist in Europe study ordered by the European
Parliament as it is a very important and positive contribution to seeking a
solution for the problems faced by the artists due to the specific and
atypical nature of their work.

We urge the EU to stress to national governments the need to adopt
legislation on the status of the artist, including education, training,
social security, taxation, mobility etc.

In consultation with professional artists' organisations we propose the
drafting of a European charter for activity in the field of artistic creation
and the conditions for engaging therein. This would guide public authorities
willing to support artistic creation.

On the all-European level itself we consider the following agendas to be of
special importance:

• unrestricted mobility of the artist, not only within the EU (cultural
  passport, blue card adaptation for artists, transfer of pension and
  welfare entitlements acquired, recognition on Community level of
  diplomas and other qualification certificates in accordance with the
  Bologna process);
• establishment of a European clearing house for the exchange of
  information on legislation and good practices concerning the status
  of the artist;
• amendment of the European Arrest Warrant to exclude works of art
  and their creation from its scope;
• enforcement of the full and complete range of authors' and related
  rights at EU and member states levels.

The resolution was adopted in Sibiu on 30 September at the close of the
conference Artists, Creativity, Society: Challenges for the Status of the
Artist in the Beginning of the 21st century held by the European Council
of Artists in cooperation with the National Alliance of Creators' Unions
of Romania and financially supported by the Romanian Ministry of Culture
and Religious Affairs. The speakers and panellists included two former
culture ministers with artistic background, namely Ion Caramitru, actor
and president of the Romanian Theatre Creators' Union, and Erna
Hennicot-Schoepges, MEP for Luxembourg. Other contributors were Finnish
researcher Vivan Storlund, Romanian composer Liviu Danceanu, Austrian
actress Konstanze Breitebner, Romanian MEP from Sibiu Ovidio Gant, Belgian
researcher Philippe Kern, Romanian authors' right expert Eugen Vasiliu,
Danish composer Pia Raug, Lithuanian writer Kornelijus Platelis, Romanian
sculptor Dumitru Serban and Austrian writer Ludwig Laher.

On 1 October, the Conference was followed by the ECA General Assembly at
which the sculptor Michael Burke from Visual Artists Ireland was elected new
ECA President.

For further information, please contact Elisabet Diedrichs at the ECA office.

European Council of Artists, Borgergade 111, DK-1300 Copenhagen K,
ph +45-35384401, eca@eca.dk