13th European Forum on Music - Celebrating Musical Diversity
Brussels, Belgium, 11-12 June 2025
The European Forum on Music (EFM) is back with its 13th edition ‘Celebrating Musical Diversity’ and we can’t wait to welcome you in Brussels, Belgium from 11-12 June 2025.
The EFM 2025 will celebrate 20 years of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The 2005 Convention is viewed as a significant step toward establishing standards for cultural policy so that art and culture can flourish in their diversity. It also promotes equal and fair international exchange of art and culture and is regarded as a counterbalance to international trade agreements that favour the liberalisation of trade in all areas. A key element of the Convention is the recognition of the dual nature of cultural expressions having an intrinsic and societal value as well as an economic impact.
During this EFM we will discuss the importance of protecting and promoting musical and cultural diversity and how it can be enshrined in EU policies for culture making use of music’s great potential as a driver for change also in light of the increasing emphasis on competitiveness in EU policies. The EU has ratified the Convention – what does this mean for music organisations in Europe, and for the new Culture Compass and the next long-term EU budget (Multiannual Financial Framework, MFF 2028 – 2034)?
The EFM will propose different session formats (e.g. keynote, panels, interactive break-out groups, info-session), focusing on the following themes: "Freedom under pressure: artistic expression in diverse contexts", "Just recognition and fair remuneration for artists", "AI and musical diversity: opportunity or threat?".
The opening of the EFM on 11 June will highlight "Music as a Cornerstone for EU Cultural Policies" with a high level panel including MEP Emma Rafowicz and Christoph Degen, Secretary of State of the Hessian Ministry for Science, Research, Arts and Culture and other invited high-level speakers from the European Commission and UNESCO. This panel at the Permanent Representation of Hessen to the EU (Rue Montoyer 21) will be followed by a reception.
The EFM sessions on 12 June will take place at the R2 spaces of Reset (Rue de Ligne 2).
Prior to the EFM Opening on 11 June, EMC members are invited to the EMC Lab at Reset.
EMC Lab 2025 draft programme EFM 2025 draft programme
The European Forum on Music will foster personal exchanges and strengthen relationships between organisations, projects and individuals. At the EFM, you will be able to meet key actors, and to participate in a variety of sessions, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking sessions.