September 5, 2025
On 1 October 2025, from 13:30 to 14:30, the side event Cultural Rights Now: Voices at Risk, Access in Action will be held in Room 118–119 of the Barcelona International Convention Center (CCIB) as part of UNESCO’s MONDIACULT 2025, the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development.
Organized by Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) in collaboration with Europe Beyond Access, Diputació de Barcelona, and the British Council, the session will bring together cultural leaders, artists, and human rights advocates from around the world to examine current challenges and opportunities in protecting cultural rights. The discussion will focus on strategies to ensure inclusion, representation, and access in cultural policymaking, particularly for underrepresented and vulnerable groups.
The event will feature expert interventions and presentations by creative practitioners, highlighting perspectives from the frontlines of the arts and human rights sectors. Participants will engage with approaches to promoting artistic freedom, safeguarding cultural heritage, and addressing barriers that prevent equitable participation in cultural life.
Cultural Rights Now is one of several side events during MONDIACULT 2025, which convenes ministers, policymakers, cultural professionals, academics, and civil society representatives to review progress on cultural policies and sustainable development since the 2022 MONDIACULT Declaration. This edition also addresses emerging global priorities, including the intersection of culture with artificial intelligence, peacebuilding, climate action, and education.
The session contributes to ongoing efforts to highlight the importance of cultural rights as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable development, aligning with UNESCO’s commitment to human rights, diversity, and access in the cultural sector.
Moreover, EBA is set to take part in two other events in Barcelona that also reflect its ongoing commitment to inclusive cultural practices and international collaboration.
On 26 September, during La Mercè Festival, EBA will join the roundtable Disabled-led Arts in the Public Space and its Impact on Cultural Rights, engaging in a powerful conversation about how disability-led performances in public spaces democratise culture and enhance visibility and artistic freedom.
On 1 October at MACBA, EBA will participate in “Towards a Network of Networks of Creation,” a dialogue focused on how residencies, festivals, and mobility initiatives can come together to strengthen creative ecosystems on a global scale.