On 20 October 2010, the European Festivals Association invited for an open space session dedicated to the 2010 EFA flagship project “Open The Door” (www.Open-The-Door.eu).

In the framework of the trans-sectoral EU Forum “Building together a society for all” set up by the European Commission, EFA discussed in an interactive exchange with artists, festival representatives, actors from the cultural and other sectors as well as political decision makers the role and responsibility of arts and culture for societal development, well-being and raising awareness of social inequities.
Session participants could follow critical discussions of Galin Stoev, stage director, Biljana Zdravković, General Manager Belgrade Music Festival, and Jelle Dierickx, Musicologist, Artistic Coordinator of Gent Festival of Flanders and Vice-President of ISCM Flanders 2012 Music Days. Moderated by Salvatore Marra, Officer at CGIL Roma e Lazio (Italian General Confederation of Labour), the session – with an introduction of EFA Secretary General Kathrin Deventer and critical interventions from the floor – challenged participants on the question how arts and culture are indeed at the basis for changing mind sets and triggering thinking in order to increase a sense of social and cultural responsibility.