Although European cultural policy is officially the responsibility of Member States, EU institutions do play a relevant, yet little-known role in shaping our cultural and media ecosystems. The EU Backoffice, a new podcast series produced by the European Network of Cultural Centres and the Reset! network 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 you 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. The EU Backoffice brings you a new episode every third month, starting in October 2025.

The fifth episode’s title/description: 

Being a Cultural Player in Peripheral Regions: What Is the EU’s Support Made of?

Does the European Union support cultural organisations operating outside major urban centres? Why and how do they do so? From rural areas to other geographically remote regions, these players play a significant yet lonely role in cultural dynamism and social cohesion but often face structural barriers to funding, visibility, and networks.

This episode would be examining how programmes like Creative Europe, CERV, and cohesion funds, as well as broader territorial and cultural strategies, translate into concrete opportunities on the ground. Are EU tools in touch with the place-based realities of these regions? Are they truly accessible to peripheral cultural players? What is the untapped potential of investing in CCIs in the non-urban?

It is about shedding light on the challenges, contradictions, and potential reforms needed to better support decentralised cultural ecosystems across Europe and why we should be investing in these types of ecosystems in particular.