GENDER EQUALITY: GENDER BALANCE IN CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTORS

Brainstorming Session: 4-5 September 2019 – Prague/Czech Republic

Dialogue Meeting: 6th November 2019 – Brussels/Belgium

What is it about?

The Brainstorming Session on GENDER EQUALITY: Gender Balance in Cultural and Creative Sectors represents the opportunity for a group of around 35 European civil society stakeholders in the cultural sector to exchange ideas on this topic and to present these to the European Commission.

The group will brainstorm on 4-5 September 2019 in Prague, and then discuss the main ideas (to be summarised in a Brainstorming Report) with representatives of the European Commission at a Dialogue Meeting in Brussels on the 6th of November 2019.

Why is it important?

Several gender gaps exist in nearly all cultural fields in the world and across the EU. Women are not only underrepresented in the workforce, mainly in creative jobs and in leadership and decision-making positions, but also paid less than their male colleagues.
Moreover, gender stereotypes and sexual harassment are still widely taking place, while access of female artists to resources and to the art market is often limited. The conditions on the labour market make women artists particularly vulnerable, in particular as far as labour segregation, social rights related to pregnancy, maternity and pensions are concerned.

Questions covered during the discussions will include:

1. What is the role of the public authorities (at national, regional and/or local levels) in ensuring a level playing field for female and male artists and cultural professionals? What works? What doesn’t work?
2. What, if any, cultural policies and legislations need to be revised and/or introduced to include explicit affirmation of gender equality?
3. What is the role of sectoral initiatives put in place to close the gender gaps in particular cultural and creative sectors?
4. What should be done to increase the number of women in the cultural and creative occupations and sectors where they are under-represented?
5. How to increase the gender balance at the leadership and decision-making positions?
6. Is there a need for measures that promote equity in access to resources and access to the art market? If yes, what would be the most effective measures to be introduced?
7. How to remove impediments that stand in the way of women’s involvement and advancement in cultural professions of their choice?

The discussion is of course not limited  to these questions. Participants are encouraged to share their opinion on what other aspects they deem important.

Who can apply?

The call is open to representatives of the cultural and creative sectors (professional organisations, cultural institutions, non-governmental organisations, European networks, foundations, private organisations, etc.) with relevant expertise on the topic “Gender Equality: Gender Balance in Cultural and Creative Sectors”, who would like to contribute to discussions with the European Commission. Organisations applying must be from one of the 28 EU Member States.

Practical information

The Brainstorming Meeting for the first topic will place on the 4^th and 5^th of September 2019 at the Goethe-Institut Prague. Travel, accommodation and catering for the participants will be provided by Voices of Culture.

The Dialogue meeting for this topic will take on the 6^th of November 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. Travel, accommodation and catering for the participants will be provided by Voices of Culture.

The deadline for applications is closed. The list of participants will be published shortly.