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PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, April 23rd 2025 — A groundbreaking new report published by MCC Brussels reveals the extent to which the European Union is leveraging its Creative Europe funding program to promote a radical socio-political agenda under the guise of cultural support.
Titled "The Jargon of 'Diversity': How the EU Co-opts Culture to Push its Agendas," the report, authored by Katalin Deme, offers a scathing critique of how billions of euros in taxpayer funds are being used to advance ideologically driven initiatives at the expense of Europe's artistic integrity and cultural heritage.
You can read the full report here-
The report meticulously examines EU-funded cultural projects between 2018 and 2022, exposing how themes such as migration, gender ideology, and environmentalism precede genuine artistic expression. Deme's analysis suggests a systematic repurposing of culture as a vehicle for political messaging, comparing the EU's linguistic strategies to those once employed by totalitarian regimes.
"This report exposes a disturbing trend: the hijacking of culture for political ends through the vast financial power of the European Union," said Deme. "Taxpayers' money, intended to support Europe's diverse artistic landscape, is instead being used to fund projects aligned with a narrow, leftist ideology—often at odds with national identity and traditional values."
Key findings include:
With a budget increase from €1.46 billion (2014–2020) to €2.44 billion (2021–2027), the Creative Europe program has increasingly prioritised politically charged projects over traditional arts and heritage.
There is a marked avoidance of terms like "nation" in favour of ambiguous concepts such as "community" or "people," particularly in projects involving migration and refugees.
Music and theatre initiatives promoting the deconstruction of national identity, including the EuroNoize project, which critiques nationhood and embraces non-conforming gender identities.
Contemporary dance projects that explicitly embrace post-nationalist ideologies, such as "DANCEOPOLITICS" and "Ecstatic Bodies", reflect an overtly political tone.
The report also critiques what it describes as a "dystopian jargon" dominating cultural discourse, where terms like "sustainability," "inclusion," and "diversity" overshadow core artistic values like beauty, excellence, and heritage.
"This systematic co-option is quietly eroding Europe's cultural soul," warns Deme. "The focus on a specific ideological agenda, funded by Brussels, risks creating a rootless, transnational entity at the expense of its member states' diverse and historically rich cultures."
"The Jargon of 'Diversity'" calls on citizens, artists, and policymakers to reevaluate the EU's cultural funding mechanisms and demand greater transparency and ideological neutrality in public support for the arts.
