Anna Ochmann, president of ARTeria Foundtion, was inviated to participate in the international seminar for gender equality in the music sector in Europe organised on the July 13–15, 2023 in Strasbourg, France.
The event brought together more than 100 music professionals, experts, institutional staff, elected officials and politicians. They represented 17 European countries and at least 5 other countries outside Europe (Australia, USA, Colombia, Ecuador, Togo, Sri Lanka…). They outlined and analysed the situation and related stakes at European level, identified European partners and created a network, defined objectives, projects and means of joint action among potential partners, and identified and explored possible sources of funding in Europe.
Despite the growing global awareness, thanks in large part to the #metoo movement, regarding the violence and discrimination endured by women and gender minorities in the cultural sector, the inequalities therein remain massive and systemic. The disparity in the European music sector is particularly glaring. In France, women represent approximately 14% of artists on stage in pop music, 28% in classical music, and only 6% of conductors. A similar situation can be observed in many other European countries.
In 2020, the European Commission adopted the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025 – endorsed in 2021 by the European Parliament – with precise and comprehensive recommendations that remain to be applied and implemented at all levels. The European Commission has made social inclusion one of the five priorities for structural funding in 2021–2027, and gender equality a cross-cutting criterion, offering the means to take concrete action beyond mere principles and declarations of intent.
