intensive care ward for cultural civil society
DESCRIPTION
This Powerpoint was originally projected at the European Culture Forum during PIE’s ‘Flash Session’ “A future for Civil Society?” – Brussels, BOZAR, 4th November 2013. During the session, PIE staff and Board members staged an interactive “Emergency Care Ward for Civil Society Organisations”. The audience was invited to “visit the patients” in the emergency care ward and be photographed with messages of support. The content of this presentation is largely based on a 4-day on-line survey, which PIE conducted amongst its members and contacts about their funding situation. The “patient files” presented here are a selection. More were contained in a handout at the session. Many thanks to all survey respondents!!TRANSCRIPT
EU Culture Forum 2013
Intensive Care Ward for Cultural Civil
Society4th November 2013
Civil Society Organisations’ survivalis at stake.
Don’t let them die.
Cuts & changes to funding regimes for Civil Society Organisations have raised concern. Some organisations are now
in an emergency situation – they might not live beyond Dec. 2013
First medical assessment
Across Europe, funding cuts undermine achievements of the past. The fabric of society is exposed to irreparable damage.
A true epidemic
Map source: “Culture cuts – Where austerity measures are curtailing the arts”. The Guardian August 2012 – In collaboration with Le Monde, La Stampa, Gazeta Wybocza and Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Why PIE felt prompted to actThe Platform for Intercultural Europe promotes interculturaldialogue and action. But unusual situations require unusualmeasures: We experience an emergency which forces us toraise a more profound issue yet: the future of civil societyorganisations. Many face problems of life or death. The EUCulture Forum is an opportunity to draw attention to them.
PIE therefore conducted an emergency survey amongst its membership and beyond. The process is on-going, but we can already share some first findings.
Individual patients’ filesSome of the many cases that soon emerged
Anamnesis #1The Platform for Intercultural Europe
DiagnosisPlatform for Intercultural Europe
Space
Loss of seven years’ work in funding environmental disaster.
Life expectancy:
December 2013
Anamnesis #2Eurozine
DiagnosisEurozine
Financial malnutrition – Onset of starvation.
Anamnesis #3Trans Europe Halles
DiagnosisTrans Europe Halles
Scissures in leg muscles from jumping over large funding gaps.
Anamnesis #4Folkets Hus och Parker
DiagnosisFolkets Hus och Parker
Acute projectification and loss of focus
Anamnesis #5Intima Teatre
DiagnosisIntima Teatre
Second-degree bureaucratic burns suffered in the fire of project applications - Burn-out through multiple budgetitis
Anamnesis #6Institute for Conflict Research
DiagnosisInstitute for Conflict Research
Inadvertent lowering of free service capacity (below point 5 of public expectation scale)
Anamnesis #7A European Cultural Network
(The patient preferred to remain anonymous)
DiagnosisA European Cultural Network
Workaholism and self-exploitation due to acute cash deficiency.
Emergency prescriptionsspace
• Sustained public funding for sustained NGO action
• Disclosure of reasons for the abolition of operating grants
• Assessment of the impact of the abolition of operating grants
• Artistic and democratic freedom instead of control through short-term
project grants
• Efficient multi-annual funding
• An emergency fund for
the 2014 EU funding gap
Other doctors’ opinions are
solicited and similar remedies for
recipients of other types of funding
are still to be prescribed.
We want Cultural Civil Society to live !
Share on Facebook and tweet @PIEdialogue #Save#CivilSociety
PhotosPlatform for Intercultural Europe - Facebook album: SaveCivilSociety
Acknowledgements and contextspace
This Powerpoint was originally projected at the European Culture Forum during PIE’s ‘Flash Session’
“A future for Civil Society?” – Brussels, BOZAR, 4th November 2013.
During the session, PIE staff and Board members staged an interactive “Emergency Care Ward for Civil
Society Organisations”. The audience was invited to “visit the patients” in the emergency care ward and be
photographed with messages of support.
The content of this presentation is largely based on a 4-day on-line survey, which PIE conducted amongst its
members and contacts about their funding situation. The “patient files” presented here are a selection. More
were contained in a handout at the session. Many thanks to all survey respondents!!
Concept and production:
© Platform for Intercultural Europe (PIE) - www.intercultural-europe.org
Published November 2013
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PIEdialogue #Save#Civil#Society
Photo and audio credits:
PIE, its Board, its members, respondents to the survey, as well as:
Médecins Sans Frontières, Mediadashting on YouTube,
various medical and scientific photo collections and friends.
Many thanks to them all!