The EU Backoffice, our new podcast series produced in cooperation with the European Network of Cultural Centres, unravels how the EU cultural policy process really works, bringing you beyond the headlines and into the corridors where decisions are taken.
Through expert interviews and debates with insiders, artists, and activists, our host Matéo Vigné takes the audience on a deep dive into the world of EU cultural policy, to shed light on who shapes the agenda, how the institutions work, and what challenges they face.
Episode #1: Decrypting the EU's Cultural and Media Policy: Touching Base
October 2025
This episode explores the rise of the far right in the European Parliament seat distribution since the most recent elections of 2024. Now representing a quarter of the benches of the Parliament, far-right MEP contribute to a change in agenda, strategic work, narratives, and debate behaviour. How does this reset of the EU Parliament impact the positioning of culture and media policy in the EU debate?
With: Benjamin Feyen (EU Policy Expert), Georg Haeusler (Director of Creativity, Culture, and Sport at the European Commission – DG EAC), Olga Perez (Policy Advisor – European Parliament).
Host: Matéo Vigné (Journalist)
Episode #2: Shift in Parliament Distribution: Rise of the Far Right and Policy Impact
December 2025
Cultural and media policy in the European Union is the result of a complex set of institutions, processes, and interactions. Understanding how these pieces fit together is essential.
This episode offers a structured overview of the main actors involved, from the European Commission to the Parliament and Council, as well as the agencies and programmes that translate policy into action. It explores how responsibilities are divided, how decisions are shaped and negotiated, and how different bodies interact within the broader EU framework.
By setting out this foundation, the interview and debate provide the shared reference point needed to follow the series’ upcoming explorations of European cultural and media policy in greater depth.
With: Chair CULT MEP Nela Riehl, Ribeiro da Costa (APA for MEP Ana Catarina Mendes, S&D, vice-President and responsible for Democracy and Rule of Law), Bernard Wilfred Krzyżowski (APA for MEP Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus)
Host: Matéo Vigné (Journalist)
Episode #3: Bridging the Gap: Communication Streams Between EU Institutions and Cultural Players
March 2026
This episode explores how cultural players can effectively connect with EU institutions and make their voices heard at the policy level.
It unpacks the many routes of engagement that exist—from formal channels and consultation processes to the less visible networks that shape communication flows within Brussels.
The discussion examines how greater transparency, accessibility, and mutual understanding can transform these interactions into genuine dialogue, ultimately strengthening the relationship between cultural actors and EU decision-makers.
With: Sophie Bernaeerts (Director of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency), Maya Weisinger (Head of Communication and Community Development of Culture Action Europe), Ziad Erraiss (former Project Manager at the Cultural Relations Platform and currently freelance expert working for the EC on cultural policy and international cultural relations matters).
Host: Matéo Vigné (Journalist)
Episode #4: Culture in the Platform Age: Who Shapes Europe’s Digital Public Sphere?
June 2026
Understanding Europe’s digital rulebook allows to unpack how cultural expression and creation are being reshaped in the platform age. From viral art to politicised content moderation, today’s cultural landscape is increasingly governed not by public values—but by private platforms.
We explore how the EU is attempting to rebalance this power through landmark regulation like the Digital Services Act—and what that really means in practice. Who gets a seat at the table when these rules are written? How do artists, policymakers, platforms, and civil society actors negotiate the boundaries of online cultural space? Is the EU building a more democratic digital public sphere—or simply redrawing the lines of control?
With: : Julie Belgrado (CEO of FERA ASBL I Federation of European Screen Directors I Fédération Européenne des Réalisateurs de l'Audiovisuel, one of the orgs that signed the letter to the CULT Committee regarding the Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI report currently under development), Lynne Vermeulen (communications officer at Kunstwerkt), Lapo Bettarini (senior cultural manager and advisor, cultural trainer, Coach for Cultural leaders | EU and URBACT verified Ad-hoc Expert).
Host: Matéo Vigné (Journalist)
