Time for a European Music Programme

14 February 2018 - Press release

IMPALA and other organisations from across the music sector welcome a new pilot programme for music in Europe and urge the EU to support a full European Music Programme in its future budget.

Gathered today in Brussels at the invitation of the European Commission, representatives of the sector marked the launch of the “Music Moves Europe” pilot project.

Promoted by Parliamentarians of various political hues, and coordinated by the European Commission, “Music Moves Europe” will help test ideas which could be replicated in a fully-fledged music programme that would start in 2021 as part of the next generation of EU programmes.

IMPALA and other organisations seized the momentum and addressed an open letter to the European Commission, European Parliament and Member States. The letter welcomes “Music Moves Europe” as a huge step forward and calls for the creation of a programme proportionate to the music sector’s economic, social and cultural contribution.

“Building on the Commission and Parliament's ground-breaking work so far, a music programme would fill a gap in the current European cultural framework” commented Matthieu Philibert, IMPALA’s Public Affairs Manager.

Drawing inspiration from other EU success stories, such as the MEDIA programme designed for the audio-visual sector, IMPALA and other music organisations feel the time is ripe for such a programme. Signatories of the letter believe that a fully-fledged music programme will help trigger more investment, promote diversity and increase the mobility of artists and repertoire across borders.

“Such a programme would be a strategic move to boost music, which is one of Europe’s key economic sectors. It would be a first and would help the sector to continue to shape and adapt to a fast-changing environment”, added Matthieu Philibert.

The music sector also joined other cultural organisations in calling for a doubling of the overall European budget for culture.

You can download the letter here

Signatories
 
AEC (Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen) – Stefan Gies, CEO

AER (Association of European Radios) - Julia Maier-Hauff, AER Secretary General
 
ARTY FARTY – Vincent Carry, CEO
 
Assomusica - Vincenzo Spera, President
 
Europavox – François Missonnier, Founder & CEO
 
EJN (Europe Jazz Network) – Ros Rigby, President; Giambattista Tofoni, Network Manager
 
EBU (European Broadcasting Union) – Nicola Frank, Head of European Affairs

ECA-EC (European Choral Association - Europa Cantat) – Sonja Greiner, Secretary General
 
ECSA (European Composer and Songwriter Alliance) – Patrick Ager, Secretary General
 
ECHO (European Concert Hall Organisation) – Louwrens Langevoort, President; Andrew Manning, Secretary General
 
EFA (European Festival Association) – Kathrin Deventer, Secretary General
 
ELMA (European Live Music Association) – Vincenzo Spera (Assomusica) President, Prof. Jens Michow (BDV) Vice-President
 
EMC (European Music Council) – Ruth Jakobi, Secretary General
 
EMEE (European Music Exporters Exchange) – Corinne Sadki (Bureau Export), President; Virgo Sillamaa (Music Estonia), Secretary General; Peter Smidt (Buma Cultuur), Vice-President
 
Eurosonic Noorderslag – Peter Smidt, Creative Director
 
FIM (International Federation of Musicians) – Benoît Machuel, General Secretary
 
GESAC (European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers) – Véronique Desbrosses, General Manager
 
IAMIC (International Association of Music Information Centres) – Kostas Moschos, President
 
IAO (International Artist Organisation) – Nacho García Vega, President
 
ICMP (International Confederation of Music Publishers) – Coco Carmona, Director General
 
IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) – Lodovico Benvenuti, Director European Office
 
IMMF (International Music Manager Forum) – Volker May, Chairman
 
IMPALA (Independent Music Companies Association) – Helen Smith, Executive Chair
 
INES (Innovation Network of European Showcases) – Magdalena Zschunke, Project Coordinator
 
Live DMA (European network for music venues and festivals) – Audrey Guerre, Coordinator
 
Liveurope – Elise Phamgia, Project Coordinator
 
Pearle* (Live Performance Europe) - Anita Debaere, Director
 
PRS Foundation – Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive
 
Yourope – Christof Huber, General Secretary