Natália Oszkó-Jakab

The Valley of Arts is not only a festival but also a temporary cultural ecosystem built together with villages, residents, artists, and audiences. Culture here is not something to be consumed but co-created. This makes festivals powerful democratic spaces where participation, trust and dialogue are practised in everyday settings — streets, courtyards and shared public spaces. The festival is a space for diversity and a safeguard of European ideas; therefore, a true supporter of the "About Europe" campaign. Europe is under construction, and this co-creation opportunity is something we already practice within the festival.

Rooted in a rural region, far from metropolitan centres, the Valley shows that Europe’s cultural future is not limited to capitals. Strong local identities, when connected to European values, can become bridges between centre and periphery, different generations and communities. The festival nurtures the community and gives space for conversations such as "About Europe" to happen in a safe place.

Festivals like ours address Europe’s key challenges not through abstract policy language but through lived experience: social cohesion, freedom of expression, celebrating diversity, cooperation, resilience and a sense of belonging. This is why speaking “About Europe” through festivals matters now. The arts offer rare spaces where Europe can listen to itself, ask difficult questions and build shared meaning. Festivals can act as trusted intermediaries between citizens, artists and decision-makers.