Cultural intermediaries of the green transition? European cultural networks and the balancing act of an emerging social role

This article examines the role of European cultural networks as cultural intermediaries in the green transition within European Union context, where climate action is being mainstreamed in all policy fields, including culture. It contributes to discussions on environmental sustainability in the cultural and creative sectors, the contemporary cultural politics of the environment and the expanded social and political roles of cultural intermediaries. Methodologically, the study combines a review of materials produced by the networks with interviews with 16 network representatives. The article expands the concept of cultural intermediation by identifying three modalities in relation to the green transition – proactive, reactive and passive – and the parameters that shape them. It shows that these modalities should not be understood merely as varying degrees of enthusiasm in relaying policy priorities but also as political stances towards a highly contested agenda and the evolving social roles expected of cultural intermediaries. The analysis argues that intermediation is fundamentally a balancing act – between policy imperatives, funding dependencies, constrained resources and expertise, competitive peer dynamics and individual agency – and provides insights into the negotiated social roles of cultural intermediaries.