site.bta European Association of Independent Performing Arts Condemns Restriction of Artistic Freedom

The European Association of Independent Performing Arts (EAIPA) condemns the open restriction of freedom of artistic expression that took place on the evening of November 7 in front of the National Theatre in Sofia, the association said Friday in a statement.

On Thursday, protestors tried to stop a National Theatre premiere of the George Bernard Shaw play Arms and the Man, which they believe to humiliate Bulgaria. The action in the play takes place in Bulgaria, following the 1885 Battle of Slivnitsa during the Serbo-Bulgarian War.

The position says: "A group of far-right activists attempted to occupy the building and tried to stop a National Theatre premiere of the George Bernard Shaw play Arms and the Man, which they believe to humiliate Bulgarian national pride and insults the Bulgarian national spirit. The police and local authorities took almost no action to contain the aggression, resulting in a dangerous and completely chaotic situation. The public was not allowed to enter the building, and people were punched, spat at and insulted”.

The EAIPA called on all relevant authorities to investigate the case and to protect fundamental civil rights, protect people and fulfil their obligations in terms of public safety. "The rise of hatred and aggression in Europe poses a direct threat to fundamental human rights, which are the basis of democracy. Freedom of artistic expression is a direct indicator of the state of our democracies. If we lose our civil rights and trust in our institutions, we lose Europe. We express our solidarity with our colleagues, artists, audiences and people who are personally affected, as well as with our Bulgarian member association," the EAIPA further said.

The EAIPA was founded in 2018 as the umbrella organization for associations and interest groups from all over Europe representing the independent performing arts internationally and at the European level. Currently it has 23 member organizations from 18 countries. EAIPA operates at a B2B level and its members, in turn, represent the actors from the professional independent performing arts field on the respective national levels. The designation‚ independent performing arts community comprises all professional freelance theatre-makers, artistic ensembles, and independent institutions and structures working in the genres of dance, theatre, circus, performance, music, performing arts for children, and youth theatre as well as overall interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary artistic work.