Ensuring equal opportunities and social inclusion in access to culture, lifelong learning and the role of public cultural institutions in this process

Key points

The EESC:

• endorses the vision of the Treaty on European Union, emphasizing culture’s role in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, supporting the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026 and welcoming the opinion on cultural policies from the Committee of the Regions;

• supports a holistic approach to culture, linking cultural and civic participation, essential for social cohesion and democracy. The EESC stresses that culture must be accessible to all as a public good and recognizes that creative freedom strengthens democracy, tolerance, resilience;

• asks the Commission and Member States to adopt policies reducing economic and educational inequalities, as these factors hinder cultural participation, particularly in rural areas. It also recommends creating and strengthening programs to eliminate various barriers (physical, economic, linguistic, etc.) to ensure inclusive cultural participation, with a focus on marginalized and discriminated groups;

• proposes that the EU and Member States adopt budgetary strategies for supporting cultural policies in sparsely populated rural areas as a key pillar for sustainable development. It recommends integrating public investment and infrastructure development into a broader strategy to revitalize rural regions, attracting private investment and increasing cultural participation. The EESC further advises that cultural policies in rural areas should focus on involving local communities in decision-making, fostering a sense of belonging, democratic participation and social cohesion, while avoiding top-down, imposed measures;

• highlights the importance of public cultural policies to foster civil dialogue between civil society and authorities, promoting rural development and strengthening social and territorial cohesion. It also emphasizes the need for mechanisms that promote social dialogue, negotiation and collective bargaining in rural areas to boost the economy, improve living conditions, enhance democratic participation and build community resilience;

• recommends integrating more cultural and artistic training in school curricula, and encourages specialised cultural professionals to settle in rural areas to drive local development;

• calls for wide-ranging digital and cultural literacy campaigns in rural areas to promote lifelong learning, combat disinformation and uphold EU values;

• suggests creating a European Year of Rural Areas to highlight their cultural and economic contributions;

• intends to assess the need for a special body focused on culture within the EESC structure.