On 3 April 2025, the Council of Europe, through its Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage, and Landscape (CDCPP), convened a group of experts and cultural partner organisations for the inaugural Advisory Board meeting of CreateToBeFree - a new discursive platform on artistic freedom. This platform aims to connect key stakeholders, including cultural organisations, policymakers from Member States, and researchers, to facilitate exchanges on freedom of artistic expression and its role in strengthening democratic resilience.

During the meeting, an initial outline of the platform was presented, followed by discussions on its future structure and content. The Advisory Board brings together a diverse range of organisations engaged in culture, artistic freedom, and the protection of artists across various artistic fields and regions in Europe.

Aligned with the Reykjavík Declaration of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, CreateToBeFree will seek to support and promote artistic freedom across Member States, addressing the pressing challenges posed by democratic backsliding. The Platform will serve as a hub for resources, critical reflections on contemporary issues, and more focused analyses of key topics, fostering dialogue and advocacy in defence of artistic expression.