On 21 and 22 March 2019, the Culture Action Europe (CAE) Members Forum took place in Brussels.

In view of the European elections, the members exchanged views on their regional implementation of the CAE European Election Campaign. The common goal is the best possible positioning of cultural interests in a new EU Parliament from the second half of 2019.

Likewise, ideas and wishes for the new EU Creative Europe program after 2020 were discussed. Parallel to the negotiations for the new EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, the individual programs of the EU will be reorganized. The issue of mobility of cultural workers received special support here and the call for an appropriate definition and positioning of cultural education in the final drafts of the new Creative Europe program.

Another role was played by structural issues of Culture Action Europe. Internal networking was discussed in thematic or regional working groups, the so-called "hubs". The CAE Board also presented the current Culture Action Europe Strategy Paper with thematic focus:
• Reorientation of EU programs relevant to the cultural sector and negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework of the EU 2021-2027
• Working conditions in the cultural sector in Europe, with a particular focus on income conditions and the social protection of artists and the conditions for international mobility of cultural workers in Europe and beyond.
• Freedom of expression and cultural rights, with the elaboration of the legal framework at national level as well as corresponding regulations at EU level.
• Artistic and cultural research, in particular the so-called STEAM Practices, which stand for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, and put the added value of today's artistic practices in research and development forward.

The first plans for the CAE annual conference Beyond the Obvious were also presented, which will take place from 23 to 26 October 2019 at the German-Swiss border near Konstanz / Kreuzlingen.