Why the next EU budget matters
The European Commission’s proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) amounts to almost €2 trillion and introduces a substantially redesigned structure for EU funding. The proposal places greater emphasis on flexibility, simplification, competitiveness and strategic investment, while continuing to support areas including education, culture, research and innovation.
For the cultural and educational sectors, changes in programme structures naturally raise important questions: where and how will music and arts education be visible in the new funding landscape? These questions matter because visibility in European programmes is closely connected to access, participation and the possibility of developing projects and partnerships.
A joint SCHEME Initative
The EMU is addressing these questions together with the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) and the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS), through the Steering Committee for the Harmonisation of European Music Education (SCHEME).
SCHEME points out, that when programmes and policy areas are merged or streamlined, smaller but strategically important fields can risk becoming less visible in programme descriptions, policy discussions and funding opportunities.
As part of this cooperation, SCHEME has developed a common advocacy approach for the 2028–2034 MFF. The EMU has invited its national member organisations to bring these issues to their national governments and to engage directly with decision-makers.
The approach is deliberately practical: members are encouraged to adapt a common letter to their national circumstances, add examples from their own work and share it with relevant ministries and other governmental bodies.
Five priorities for music and arts education
The SCHEME initiative has identified five interconnected priorities and included these in its message to the member states.
A strong AgoraEU programme with visible and dedicated support for music.
Culture, independent artistic work, civil society and education are part of Europe’s democratic infrastructure. A strong AgoraEU programme is essential for transnational collaboration in the music sector. It supports artistic freedom, fair remuneration, decent working conditions, diversity in European music life and the wider EU ambition to strengthen democracy, resilience, wellbeing and the capacity to counter division and conflict.
A more inclusive, efficient and future-proof Erasmus+ programme.
Erasmus+ is one of Europe’s most successful programmes and a cornerstone of European cooperation in music and arts education. However, its future impact depends on whether it becomes more inclusive, administratively sustainable, digitally reliable and flexible enough to respond to a changing global context. As described in the joint statement from AEC and EPASA (European Performing Arts Student Association), students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds still face financial barriers, while small and specialised institutions often lack the administrative capacity needed to deliver mobility and cooperation. Digital tools must become interoperable, stable and usable in real institutional workflows, and international mobility must be simplified and made more flexible, particularly in crisis situations.
A European response to the music teacher shortage.
The music teacher shortage is part of the wider teacher shortage in Europe, but it has specific consequences for access, quality and diversity in music education. Music teacher education must be strengthened (see the SCHEME policy paper from 2025) so that more people are attracted to the profession and so that teachers are prepared for contemporary educational realities, including digital learning, inclusion, intercultural understanding, new forms of collaboration and lifelong learning. Strong music and arts teacher education also supports local cultural ecosystems and ensures that children and young people can access music and arts education regardless of background or geography.
A stronger place for STEAM education in European education policy.
European education policy must recognise STEAM as an essential foundation of modern education systems. Music and the arts should be fully integrated into educational profiles as disciplines with their own bodies of knowledge, methods and intrinsic value – not treated merely as tools for making STEM subjects more creative or attractive. Music and the arts are irreplaceable areas of learning. At the same time, they strengthen education as a whole by fostering creativity, critical thinking, imagination, dialogue, mutual understanding, respect and democratic participation. These capacities are indispensable for enabling learners to navigate and shape increasingly complex social, technological and cultural realities.
Dedicated support for culture, artistic research and music in Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund.
The further development of music and arts education must continue to build on research, including artistic research and research in the cultural and creative sectors. Current proposals for Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund do not provide sufficient dedicated structural space for culture, creativity, music and artistic research. Treating culture only as a horizontal principle is not enough. Artistic research is a knowledge domain in its own right and contributes to Europe’s understanding of social change, democracy, technology, education and the future.
Links
SCHEME – A Stronger Voice for Music Education in Europe
SCHEME Initiative – Letter Templates (Member Exclusive Content)
