ECF - Inspire, engage and empower
OUR VISION We believe that culture engages and inspires people to transcend boundaries. The connecting power of culture is essential for creating open, inclusive and democratic societies, and is invaluable for building Europe.
OUR MISSION The European Cultural Foundation initiates and supports cultural expression and interaction that empower people to realise a shared future in Europe. We enable voices that are too often unheard to be heard. We link inspirational people and ideas to cultural policy making both in local communities and on the European political stage.
OUR AMBITION To be a catalyst of cultural expression and interaction that make our diverse societies in Europe more open and inclusive.
ECF has grown substantially in numbers and actions in recent years. Last year we felt that it was the right moment to take another bold step with our organisation and we decided to make some real changes, to take strong decisions on content and organisation and sharpen our strategic focus. Now we feel well equipped and ready to step into this next exciting and challenging period.
As in all processes the implementation is progressive, so we invite you to stay tuned and to catch up regularly. We will of course keep you up to speed on all important changes. For now we have written a communiqué for our constituencies showing in a nutshell what we are up to and what you can expect from us in the next period. Read now
We support high-quality artistic activities and cultural cooperation across different countries, borders and boundaries. We advocate for culture, helping to create better conditions for the arts and campaigning to change political attitudes to culture at EU level. And we also help provide better access to cultural information.
Our commitment is to the whole of Europe and its neighbouring regions, though naturally we target those places where we believe support is most needed. We focus on making sure that the many diverse creative voices of Europe are heard and make an impact.
We have a special commitment to the new generation of Europeans. Many of our activities are geared towards bringing out the creativity in young people of all backgrounds.
Read the Annual Report 2008 for an overview of our activities. The section Key-documents provides background information on various topics. And the 50 years ECF booklet gives an interesting insight into what we have been doing since our earliest days.