Episode 11: Mondiacult - Unleashing the power of culture to achieve sustainable development

In this episode, Simone Dudt - EMC Secretary General - is joined by Silja Fischer - Secretary General of the IMC, and Jordi Pascual - Coordinator of the Committee on culture of the world organisation of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). Throughout their conversation, they discuss about the third edition of Mondiacult Conference - the world’s biggest cultural policy conference organized by UNESCO - that took place in September 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. Alongside the conference’s main theme and key takeaways, they reflect on what culture and cultural policy can mean in today’s geopolitically challenging times, from defending democracy, human rights and cultural rights to strengthening freedom of expression, solidarity, and the role of civil society. The conversation also highlights the ongoing call for culture to be recognised as a standalone goal in future sustainable development agendas, and the importance of international cooperation in shaping more inclusive cultural policies.

In this episode, Simone Dudt, EMC Secretary General, is joined by Federico Rinaldi, Network Manager of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) and Executive Board Member of the International Music Council (IMC). Throughout their conversation, Federico introduces ECHO and its mission, highlighting the key priorities of the network and how these have evolved since its inception. He elaborates on ECHO's active role in the green transition, equity and inclusion, as well as freedom of expression, sharing insights into how its members incorporate these principles into their work.

From 5 to 7 June 2024, over 100 representatives from more than 20 European countries gathered at Toplocentrala Centre for Contemporary Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria for the 12th edition of the European Forum on Music (EFM) with the theme "Equity in Music" carried out in collaboration with the Bulgarian Music Association. The term “equity” can be understood in many ways but the most common is that in relation to fairness and a situation in which everyone is treated equally. Throughout the three days, the EFM 2024 explored some of the changes the music sector should consider making if it wants to create a truly equitable and diverse musical future. Because simply opening doors isn’t enough. In this episode, our host, Miceál Mullen, is joined by some of this year's forum participants to explore what equity means to them. Golnar Shahyar, Keynote speaker Tomas Van Respaille (Bozar) Sanni Kahilainen (Finnish Musicians' Union / IMC Board) Ana Álvarez Calleja (EMC Fellow) Robbe Van Bogaert (Eventsure / City of Antwerp) Benoît Machuel (International Federation of Musicians) Ruth Jakobi (European Music Council)

From 8 to 10 June 2023, over 150 representatives from more than 20 European countries gathered at the House of Music Hungary in Budapest for the 11th edition of the European Forum on Music (EFM). The topic of this years Forum was 'Sustain Music' and throughout the three days, cultural professionals came together to talk about creating a safe and welcoming musical ecosystem; one that promotes inclusivity, embraces diversity, and strives for social, economic, and environmental sustainability; an ecosystem that ultimately sustains music in all its forms and processes.For many, the concept of sustainability automatically sparks conversations around climate change and the ecological transition. However, the EFM 2023 highlighted that the concepts of sustainability are broad, and the world of music is a big, diverse place. During this episode, we hear from some of the participants in this years forum to learn more about their experience as well as what sustainability means to them. Matt Brennan (University of Glasgow): 1.33 – 8.17 Sonja Greiner (European Choral Association): 8:37 – 17:30 Aysha Hussain (Keychange): 17.56 – 27.53 Alfons Karabuda (International Music Council): 28.25 – 32.44 Yvan Boudillet (Utopia Music): 32.44 – 40.04 Benjamin Feyen (Cultural Creators Friendship Group): 40.22 – 47.29 Marta Lozano Molano (Wazo Coop) 47.44

In this episode, our host Miceál Mullen is joined by Laura Leslie (Scottish Music Centre) and Carol Main (Live Music Now Scotland) to find out more about the Scottish Music Sector. Throughout their conversation, Carol and Laura talk about their organisations' work and about some of the current challenges facing Scotland's music sector post Brexit and post COVID-19. Since this recording, the EMC are happy to confirm that the Scottish Government has abandoned proposals to cut almost £7m from Creative Scotland’s budget. Keep up with Live Music Now Scotland here. Keep up with the Scottish Music Centre here.

In this episode, our host Miceál Mullen is joined by Katharina Jeschke, Secretary General of the IMZ International Music and Media Centre, the international business network dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts through audiovisual media. Throughout their conversation, Katharina talks about the intersection of music and media and explores the current challenges facing the creative and cultural industries, including the future of audience engagement in the digital age and how cultural industry professionals can learn from each other and from players from other industries who are, or have been facing similar challenges. Katharina also discusses the importance of collaboration and the benefits of an international organisation and how the IMZ tries to nurture this with their event Avant Première Music + Media Market (18-22 February, 2023, Berlin). Keep up with the latest from IMZ here.

In this episode, our host Miceál Mullen is joined by Mila Georgieva from the Bulgarian Music Association (BMA), the largest representative music organisation in Bulgaria. Throughout their conversation, Mila discusses how the Bulgarian music scene looks post COVID and how it is responding to current challenges that the wider European music sector is facing. We also hear more about the work of BMA, including their involvement in the MOST project and the impact of this project on the Balkan region. Mila explains how BMA is working towards creating an appropriate and efficient cultural environment that Bulgarian performing artists deserve.

After a little break, we are back again with Music Webs, the EMC podcast. Today, our host Miceál Mullen (EMC) is joined by Audrey Guerre (Live DMA) to discuss the effects of COVID-19 pandemic alongside current challenges that the European live music sector is facing. We also learn more about the work of Live DMA and the importance of building and growing networks of like-minded organisations which strive for the benefit of live music towards the same common ultimate goals: promoting live music as art and culture, improving the conditions of venues, clubs and festivals, and empowering live music professionals.

This latest edition of the EMC podcast was published on 25 November on the occasion of Orange Day - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The podcast at hand is a conversation between two men interviewed by one woman, EMC Secretary General Ruth Jakobi. Both men, Merlijn Poolmann (The Netherlands), Night Mayor of Groningen and Moritz Eggert (Germany), composer and professor for composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich have been actively engaged in the protection of women’s safety in the music ecosystem. Both of them contribute to decrease the number of cases of gender-based violence and both have created initiatives to make a change. At EMC we are convinced that this topic needs to be talked about, by people from the music field, by people who care about the safety of women. This podcast includes colloquial use of language and vocabulary, and it explicitly mentions examples of harassment in order to clearly condemn this misbehaviour. We believe that this topic needs to be debated at every level by everyone, and especially including men in the conversations. EMC is involved in more actions with regards to gender equality and power relations: EMC is a member of Keychange In the frame of the SHIFT project, the theme of Gender & Power Relations (with IETM as a theme coordinator) was also addressed. You can find the outputs here: Annotated Bibliography Newsletter on best practices Key findings on #MeToo in the cultural sector More to follow, please check here Also EMC members contribute to the debate with publications and activities: Best practices - Gender equality and diversity from the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) Live Style Europe #9 podcast from LiveDMA Manifesto on Gender Balance in Jazz and Creative Music from Europe Jazz Network (EJN) Play it loud from JM International (JMI) PRIHME from Association Européenne des Conservatoires (AEC)

Music Freedom Day is on 3 March. On this occasion, and to honor the 5 Music Rights, we want to take a closer look at freedom of musical expression in Europe. To learn more about the situation in Hungary and Poland, Simone Dudt (EMC) is joined by music journalist and curator Monika Pasiecznik and journalist András Stumpf for the second episode of our podcast. They talk about importance of public spaces and support for musical diversity and expression, specifically public broadcasting and public funding and how those spaces have increasingly been limited over the last years for artists that do not follow the narratives of the government. They also highlight the specific challenges and barriers for independent artists that have been made even more difficult by the COVID-19 crisis. On 3 March 2021, Freemuse and partners in 40 countries around the world will celebrate the 15th annual Music Freedom Day and stand united in solidarity with artists facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, through local and online events.   This year, by focusing on the theme "Imagine a Pandemic Without Art", Music Freedom Day intends to raise awareness of the challenges faced by artists and performers during COVID-19, and to remind us not take art, and the space for artists for granted. www.musicfreedomday.org