First 2023 Meeting

The meeting provided a moment to explore a wide range of recent reports that shed light on how the cultural and creative sectors are evolving in the wake of the pandemic, and how culture contributes to social well-being, resilience, and sustainability. Discussions touched on youth mental health, live music ecosystems, labour-market data, cultural mobility, and the recovery of local cultural industries. Contributors described how cultural initiatives across Europe are increasingly recognised for their impact on young people’s well-being, drawing on collective insights generated through the Voices of Culture dialogue involving organisations from 23 countries.

Participants also heard how cultural operators—from live music venues to festivals and freelance workers—are adapting to ongoing post-COVID realities, with studies from Live DMA, Dundee, North Macedonia, and South Africa revealing shared challenges around funding, audience recovery, and long-term structural vulnerabilities. Another cross-cutting theme concerned the need for more timely and diverse data sources: the examination of online job postings, for example, illustrated how new forms of labour-market information can complement official statistics and support better monitoring of cultural occupations. Environmental sustainability and the future of cultural mobility were highlighted through the Cultural Mobility YearBook, which called for solidarity-based and context-sensitive approaches. The meeting concluded with reflections from Yipei Lee, who shared insights from her residency in Indonesia, demonstrating how cultural work intersects with governance, heritage, and community engagement.