Abstract

Cultural observatories in Europe have a longer history than is usually thought. Their main raison d’être is the need for data to underpin cultural policies, which since the mid-1970s have been perceived as being contiguous to social and economic policies, and development-oriented. But they are also inclined towards analyzing, comparing, and studying policies, possibly from a third and independent point of view. Among the most authoritative Cultural Observatories, the Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends is characterized by its emphasis on analysis and data. A typical trait of the Compendium is its third-party and independent analysis, which in several cases led the experts to take even very critical positions on the cultural policies in their countries. The Compendium remains a place of great attention to the most relevant political issues in Europe, and 2023 has committed itself to a research campaign with the eloquent title: «Silencing Dissent? – On barriers to freedom of artistic expression»