The European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) is a network of European national institutes of culture and national bodies engaged in cultural and related activities beyond their national borders. EUNIC brings together organizations from all 27 EU member states and associated countries. The network adds value through its global network of clusters. By pooling together the resources and expertise of its members and carrying out joint work on common areas of interest, EUNIC is a recognized partner of the European Union and its stakeholders in defining and implementing European policy on culture inside and outside the EU.
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Organization
The overarching purpose of EUNIC is to create effective partnerships and networks between the participating organizations, to improve and promote cultural diversity and understanding between European societies, and to strengthen international dialogue and co-operation with countries outside Europe.
Since its establishment in 2006, EUNIC has evolved into a strong network delivering transnational collaborative projects worldwide through its 39 members and 143 clusters. Members consist of national cultural institutions or organizations. Clusters are collaboration platforms established where at least 3 local offices of EUNIC members operate together. Clusters can operate nationwide or citywide. A EUNIC cluster represents the whole of EUNIC and not only those members present in a country or location.
On 16 May 2017, during the Danish Presidency of EUNIC and the European Union signed an administrative agreement that outlines joint principles, values and objectives for cooperation, as well as practical arrangements for its implementation.
The Presidents are supported by the EUNIC Global office team based in Brussels. The EUNIC Global Office in Brussels also supports the work of EUNIC members and clusters around the world.
Management
EUNIC is managed by a bi-annual meeting of the heads of its member organizations, a general assembly. They elect from among themselves a president, vice president, and four ordinary members who together represent the EUNIC board of directors.
Presidencies
Source:
2026: Germany - Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations
2025: Netherlands - DutchCulture, centre for international cooperation
2024-2025: Romania - Romanian Cultural Institute
2022-2023: Germany - Goethe-Institut
2021-2022: Spain - Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation
2020-2021: Netherlands - DutchCulture, centre for international cooperation
2019-2020: Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Italy)
2018-2019: France - French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
2017-2018: Belgium - Flanders Department of Foreign Affairs
2016-2017: Denmark - Danish Cultural Institute
2015-2016: Spain - Instituto Cervantes
2014-2015: Sweden - Swedish Institute
2013-2014: Belgium - Wallonie-Bruxelles International
Board Members
Members of the board of directors of the Danish presidency: President Michael Metz Morch- Danish Cultural Institute; Vice-President Koen Verlaeckt - Flanders Department of Foreign Affairs; Johannes Ebert - Goethe-Institut; Anne Grillo - French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development; Teresa Indjein - Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs; Małgorzata Wierzejska - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland
Directors
Andrew Manning became Director of EUNIC in August 2021. He is the first Director not seconded by a EUNIC member.
Gitte Zschoch, Goethe-Institut, 2018-2021
Andrew Murray, British Council, 2015-2018
Helena Kovarikova, Czech Centres, 2012-2015
Participating members
Members of EUNIC
as of July, 2026:
Austria - Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, Österreich Institut GmbH
Belgium - Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs
Bulgaria - Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, Bulgarian State Institute for Culture
Croatia - Croatia House Foundation
Cyprus - Cyprus Ministry of Education & Culture
Czech Republic - Czech Centres
Denmark - Danish Cultural Institute
Estonia - Estonian Institute
Finland - Finnish cultural and academic institutes
France - Fondation Alliance française, Institut Français, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Germany - Goethe-Institut, Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations
Greece - Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Hungary - Hungarian Cultural Institute
Ireland - Culture Ireland
Italy - Società Dante Alighieri, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Italy)
Latvia - Investment and Development Agency of Latvia