On 12 November 2025, the European Commission published the Culture Compass for Europe, a new strategic framework designed to guide EU policy across the cultural and creative sectors.
The European Crafts Alliance warmly welcomes the launch of the EU Culture Compass. We consider it a timely and valuable initiative that brings much-needed coherence to how culture is understood within wider European policy priorities. The document clearly acknowledges the strategic importance of culture for Europe’s social, economic and environmental future, and we appreciate the extensive work, consultation and reflection that have gone into shaping this comprehensive framework.
We are encouraged to see such a broad and forward-looking approach, which recognises the diversity of Europe’s cultural and creative sectors and the many ways they contribute to wellbeing, resilience, innovation and social cohesion. Several elements of the Compass resonate strongly with our experience as an organisation working to support cultural actors across Europe.
At the same time, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the important role of the crafts sector within Europe’s cultural and creative landscape. Crafts bring together heritage, creativity and contemporary practice, and they contribute meaningfully to cultural vitality, local economies, social cohesion and individual wellbeing.
We therefore hope that future reflections around the Culture Compass can continue to embrace the full diversity of cultural expressions in Europe, including the craft sector and its unique ability to connect tradition, innovation and community. We share the ambition of strengthening culture in all its forms, and we look forward to contributing to this collective effort.