The recently released report which is the second volume of its study revealed a philanthropic sector that is strongly committed to resourcing artistic and cultural organisations to strengthen their resilience; has a cross-cutting and intersectional tendency in its work; and is clearly open to collaborative and participatory approaches.

With multiple crises having unfolded over the past few years, the arts and culture sector has been one of the most heavily affected financially, and its structural fragilities have deteriorated significantly. However, throughout these crises the societal value of this sector has remained undoubtedly clear.

This most recent support surveyed 64 foundations from 17 different countries, with 55 of those foundations having reported expenditure in the field of arts and culture for a cumulative annual total expenditure of €447 million.

The study revealed several key findings which revealed a philanthropic sector that is strongly committed to resourcing artistic and cultural organisations to strengthen their resilience; has a cross-cutting and intersectional tendency in its work; and is clearly open to collaborative and participatory approaches.

Almost 90 per cent of the responding organisations indicating that they were not planning to decrease their budgets for arts and culture during the following year, while 20 per cent of the surveyed organisations have launched new strategies embedding new working models, increased flexibility, new priority areas, diversified philanthropic means, and renewed attention to sustainability between 2018-2023. Both of these figures demonstrate a commitment from European philanthropy to strategically resource and strengthen the resilience of the arts and culture sector.

European philanthropic organisations in this area work across sectors and with a diversity of constituents, with just over half (51 per cent) of respondents having indicated that they had implemented internal changes or had launched new projects to address the issue of diversity, equity and inclusion, while 49 per cent of responding organisations have incorporated specific actions to support the green transition.

The report is an initiative of Philea’s Arts and Culture Network, which brings together like-minded philanthropic representatives in a safe space to discuss, share and build knowledge on topics around arts and culture.

Philea nurtures a diverse and inclusive ecosystem of foundations, philanthropic organisations and networks in over 30 countries that work for the common good, uniting over 10,000 public-benefit foundations that seek to improve life for people and communities in Europe and around the world.

Read the full report online at philea.eu.

Simon Hungin is a freelance writer that supports Alliance magazine.