As there is no self-standing mention of artistic freedom in the EDAP, the AEC considers it to be crucial to call on the European Commission, so that it can reconsider the Roadmap for the EDAP by including this crucial element for the free development of education in the arts. Artistic Freedom is a fundamental right: an integral component of freedom of expression as well as a fundamental aspect of cultural rights. It provides an essential counterweight to various forms of injustice and oppression by its transformative effect but also through its ability to raise awareness, challenge perceptions and stimulate debate.
According to Freemuse, there were 380 cases of violations of artistic freedom in 28 European countries from January 2018 to October 2019. Thus, Artistic Freedom is under considerable duress in the EU. Moreover, this problem could be also found in candidate countries and in the neighbourhood, where artists’ freedom is restricted by governments attempting to control the narrative and public opinion.
In light of the above, the AEC calls on the EU to take positive action to monitor and promote freedom of expression in all its forms and submits the following recommendations:
1. Explicitly recognize freedom of expression in all its forms, including freedom of artistic expression.
2. Develop appropriate instruments at EU level whereby artistic freedom can be monitored and assessed as one of the legitimate indicators of democratic and cultural health, by expanding existing EU-funded monitoring schemes on media freedom and pluralism.
3. As for journalists under threat, foresee a facility through which artists can report violations of their fundamental rights and access support for their legal assistance and relocation.
4. Establish an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, including artistic freedom, through which civil society actors and national authorities will be able to contribute specific information on the way in which freedom of expression is fulfilled, protected and promoted.
Read the complete letter here.
Culture Action Europe | Freemuse | Artists at Risk (AR) | Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) | Cartooning for Peace (CFP) | Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI) | Centre for Kunst & Interkultur – CKI | ECCOM – Idee per la Cultura | European Centre for Not-For-Profit Law Stichting | European Choral Association – Europa Cantat | European Cultural Foundation (ECF) | European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA) | European Music Council – International Music Council | Eurozine | Federation of European Film Directors (FERA) | H401 | Humanists International | IETM – International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts | International Arts Rights Advisors (IARA) | Julie Ward, former MEP (2014-20) & Vice-Chair of the CULT Committee (2019-2020) | Kulturanova
