PRESS RELEASE: European Association for Independent Performing Arts Condemns Suppression of Artistic Freedom Outside Sofia’s National Theatre

The European Association for Independent Performing Arts condemns the outright obstruction of the freedom of artistic expression that took place on the evening of the 7th of November in front of the National Theatre in Sofia, Bulgaria. A group of far-right activists tried to occupy the building and stop the opening night of the performance „Arms and the Man“ by George Bernard Shaw, directed by John Malkovich on the pretext that it mocked Bulgarian national pride and insulted the Bulgarian national spirit.

Police and local authorities did close to nothing to contain the aggression, resulting in a dangerous and unequivocally chaotic situation. The audience was not allowed to enter the building, people have been hit, spat at, insulted.
The rise of hatred and aggression in Europe is a direct provocation to essential human rights that laid the groundwork for democracy. Freedom of the artistic expression is a direct sign of the state of our democracies.

We urge all relevant authorities to investigate the case and to protect essential civil rights, to protect people and to fulfil their responsibility of security for our societies. If we lose our civil rights, if we lose the trust in our authorities, we lose Europe.

We stand in solidarity with our colleagues, the artists, audience and people who are personally affected, and with our Bulgarian member association.

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The umbrella organisation EAIPA was founded in September 2018 and currently counts 23 member organisations from 18 countries. EAIPA operates at B2B level, its members being interest groups or representatives of the individual member countries, which in turn represent actors from the Independent Performing Arts field. Therefore, EAIPA represents people, companies and theatres working in Europe’s independent Performing Arts sector, and it responds to Europe’s cultural policymaking by collecting up-to-date information, initiating new policy proposals and by raising visibility for the needs and achievements of the sector.

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