What is ACEnet ?

A Mission Rooted in Collaboration

ACEnet brings together people who face similar challenges in their countries:

• evaluating the impact of cultural education.
• ensuring access to arts education for all,
• connecting cultural and educational policies,
• clarifying the role of artists and institutions in learning,
• strengthening teacher and professional training,
• evaluating the impact of cultural education.

Through regular exchanges, ACEnet helps countries learn from each other, compare approaches, and develop stronger, more coherent policies.

Why ACEnet Matters

ACEnet is not a formal committee — it is an informal but active community of practice.
Its value lies in its ability to:

• connect national realities to European and international agendas.
• provide a trusted space for discussion,
• bring together ministries, researchers, and practitioners,
• stimulate innovation in cultural and arts education,
• connect national realities to European and international agendas.

This informality is what allows honest dialogue, experimentation, and collaboration that often leads to concrete results.

Concrete Impact Across Europe

1. Comparative knowledge and research
   • One of ACEnet’s major achievements is the Eurydice survey “Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe” (2009), initiated through the network and shared with national Eurydice units. The study compared 31 countries and shed light on:
     • the diversity of definitions of arts and culture,
     • common policy structures,
     • the importance of partnerships between schools and cultural organisations.
2. Contribution to EU cultural policy
   • ACEnet members played a key role in the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) Working Group on culture and education during the EU Work Plan for Culture 2008–2010. This group delivered recommendations on:
     • defining arts and cultural education,
     • working with artists and institutions,
     • training educators,
     • evaluating policy impact.
3. International conferences
   • Several high‑level events emerged directly from ACEnet cooperation, including:
     • Culture and School (The Hague, 2004),
     • Cultural Education in Europe (Austria, 2006),
     • Evaluating the Impact of Arts and Cultural Education (Centre Pompidou, 2007),
     • CICY – Cultural Education, Innovation, Creativity and Youth (Brussels, 2009), which gathered 130 participants from 24 countries.
4. Long-term knowledge infrastructure
   • ACEnet initiated ComACE, a European knowledge platform including a compendium, glossary and news overview. Coordinated initially by the Netherlands, ComACE brought together experts from Austria, Belgium (Flanders), France and the Netherlands.

How ACEnet Works

ACEnet functions as an open and informal network with rotating leadership.

Meetings are hosted by different member states and often connected to EU Presidencies, European Capitals of Culture or international thematic events.

Themes explored over the years include intercultural dialogue, sustainability, creativity, cultural participation, and early childhood cultural education.

This flexible structure allows the network to adapt quickly to evolving European debates and societal priorities.

ACEnet in the European and International Landscape

The network’s work aligns with major international frameworks such as:

• UNESCO’s Road Map for Arts Education (2006),
• the Seoul Agenda (2010),
• EU Work Plans for Culture,
• several OMC processes.

ACEnet acts as a bridge between national policy contexts and European cooperation, ensuring arts and cultural education remains visible, supported, and evidence‑based.

More Than Two Decades of Cooperation

Since 2002, ACEnet has offered a continuous space for meaningful exchange between European ministries and cultural education experts.

Its longevity rests on its informality, openness, and commitment to improving arts and cultural education for all children and young people across Europe.