The Strategic Dialogue on the European Creative Economy – SDECE2025 brought together a unique community of policymakers, creatives, and thought leaders from across Europe. The event (4 June 2025 in House of the Austrian Economy, Brussels) was also attended by Anna Ochmann, president of the ARTeria Foundation.
It was an inspiring time for important discussions – the day began with a session on EU projects, followed by Kai Huotari presenting a fascinating vision of the role of CCIs in Europe (‘value’ – not ‘product’), and Dr Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, discussing the current political situation in the EU in the context of the creative industries. Subsequent presentations and discussions focused on four issues: developing creative skills, building a resilient green creative economy, the role of culture in defending democracy, and strategic cultural diplomacy.
In the afternoon, the white paper CreativeFED on cultural autonomy was presented, and participants worked on practical policy recommendations based on values such as independence, inclusiveness, innovation and integrity.
