Appel de théâtres européens contre les « atteintes à la liberté artistique »

© Franzi Kreis

Près de 200 institutions culturelles européennes, essentiellement des théâtres, ont lancé samedi 30 novembre un appel aux parlementaires européens pour « agir de toute urgence » contre les « atteintes à la liberté artistique ».

L’appel baptisé « Résistance aujourd’hui : culture libre » est signé par les dirigeants d’institutions implantées dans la plupart des États membres de l’Union européenne, mais aussi dans d’autres pays européens non membres.

En France, les signataires dirigent entre autres le Festival d’Avignon, des opéras à Lyon, Lille, Strasbourg ou Montpellier, ou encore des théâtres. « Nous sommes conscients que l’un des principes de l’Union européenne est de ne pas interférer dans les politiques culturelles internes de ses États membres », mais « nous vous demandons d’agir de toute urgence au sein du Parlement européen » et « prendre enfin une position claire », indiquant ces dirigeants.

Ils citent des exemples de restrictions budgétaires drastiques pour la culture et en particulier le spectacle vivant, de lois ou d’initiatives gouvernementales restreignant la liberté d’expression, ou encore de « pressions » de l’extrême droite contre la représentation de certaines œuvres. « Nous constatons une propagation alarmante de l’autocensure, de la peur et de la dépression parmi les artistes et les institutions. (…) L’existence même de la culture européenne, dans sa diversité, est aujourd’hui en jeu », écrivent-ils encore.

Cet appel s’inscrit dans le Resistance Now! Tour initié par Milo Rau qui était invité pendant dix jours au Maillon à Strasbourg. Il a organisé un débat ce samedi 30 novembre avec Matej Drlička, l’ancien directeur du Théâtre national de Bratislava, Joris Mathieu, le directeur du TNG à Lyon, et Heidi Wileyen, la directrice de l’European Theater Convention.

Partout en Europe, des régimes autoritaires sont aux portes du pouvoir, quand ils ne s’en sont pas d’ores et déjà emparés. Et bien souvent, la création artistique est l’un des premiers secteurs à faire l’objet d’attaques. « Lorsque l’on commence à mesurer le travail des expert·es à l’aune de la conformité politique, la société démocratique s’éteint et avec elle la liberté artistique », avait écrit Milo Rau dans une lettre ouverte adressée au ministre de la Culture slovaque, à la suite de l’éviction de Matej Drlička, alors directeur du théâtre national, jugé trop « activiste » et pas assez « nationaliste ».

Les premiers signataires

Albanie
• National Theatre of Opera, Ballet and Folk Ensemble Abigeila Voshtina, General
Director

Autriche
• brut Wien Kira Kirsch Artistic, Director
• brut Wien Stephanie Höltschl, CEO
• Schauspielhaus Salzburg Jérôme Junod, Head of Dramaturgy
• steirischer herbst Ekaterina Degot, Director and Chief Curator
• steirischer herbst Pieternel Vermoortel, Senior Curator
• Tiroler Landestheater Irene Girkinger, Artistic Director
• Volkstheater Vienna Kay Voges, Director
• Wiener Festwochen | Free Republic of Vienna Vanessa Wang, Programme Coordinator

Belgique
• Antwerp Symphony Orchestra Joost Maegerman, CEO
• Arts Centre BUDA Kristof Jonckheere, General Director
• Brussels Philharmonic Gunther Broucke, General Manager
• Centre for Fine Arts – BOZAR Juliette Duret, Head of CINEMA
• DE SINGEL Michiel Vandevelde, Curator Performing Arts
• DE SINGEL Hendrik Storme General & Artistic Director
• European Festivals Association Kathrin Deventer Secretary General
• het TheaterFestival Nora Mahammed general manager
• IETM – International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts Ása Richardsdóttir, Secretary General
• Kaatheater Babara Van Lindt, General and Artistic Coordinator
• KANAL-Centre Pompidou Guy Gypens, Head of Live Arts
• La Monnaie / De Munt Peter de Caluwe, General & Artistic Director
• La Monnaie / De Munt Florian Köfler, Director of Artistic Planning & Production
• Les Halles de Schaerbeek Matthieu Goeury, Director
• Muziektheater Transparant Guy Coolen, Director
• NTGent Barbara Raes Co-Artistic Director and Member of Prospero – Extended Theatre
• Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Jan Raes, CEO
• Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Jan Vandenhouwe, Artistic Director
• Opera Europa Audrey Jungers, Managing Director
• Opera Royal de Wallonie Stefano Pace, General and Artistic Director
• Palais des Beaux-Arts de Charleroi Jean-François Demeyere, Programmateur Arts de la Scène
• STUK Arts Centre Steven Vandervelden, Artistic and General Director
• Theatre de Liege Audrey Brooking, Programming Director
• Théâtre les Tanneurs Alexandre Caputo, Artistic Director & Co-CEO
• Toneelhuis SON The collective artistic direction of Toneelhuis
• VIERNULVIER Franky Devos, General Coordinator
• VIERNULVIER Ilse Devroe, Team Coach Communication & Ticketing
• KVS – Brussels City Theatre Michael De Cock, Artistic Director

Bosnie Herzégovine
• International Theatre Festival MESS Sarajevo Nihad Kresevljakovic, Director

Bulgarie
• Theatre and Music Centre Kardjali Galab Bochukov Director
• Theatre and Music Centre Kardjali Roumi Nikolaeva Expert European theatre projects
• National Theatre Ivan Vazov Pierre Francois Limbosch, Set Designer / Invited Guest
Artist

Croatie
• Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb Iva Hraste Sočo, General Manager & Artistic Director, Board Member of Opera Europa
• Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb Tena Stivicic, Head of Drama
• Croatian National Theatre Rijeka Dubravka Vrgoc, General Manager and Artistic
Director

Chypre
• Cyprus Theatre Organsation (THOC) Marina Maleni, THOC Secretary of the Board, European Theatre Convention Board Member
• Cyprus Theatre Organsation (THOC) Maria Efstahiou, Publications and PR Officer

République Tchèque
• 8smička Monika Krčmárik, Production Manager
• 8smička Natálie Brzoňová, PR Manager
• Divadlo International Theatre Festival Dora Štědroňová, Chairman of Program Board
• National Theater Brno Martin Glaser, General Director
• National Theatre Prague Martin Kukučka, Artistic Director
• National Theatre Prague Lukáš Trpišovský, Artistic Director of Drama
• National Theatre Prague Jolana Dvorakova, Administrative Director of Drama
• National Theatre Prague Jan Burian, General Director
• National Theatre Prague Nina Jacques, Dramaturg

Danemark
• Dansk Danseteater Marina Mascarell, Artistic Director
• mitos21 Iphigenia Taxopoulou, General Secretary

Estonie
• Baltoscandal festival/ Kanuti Gildi SAAL Priit Raud, Artistic Director/ Managing Director
• Estonian Association of Performing Arts Institutions Liina Unt, General Manager
• Estonian National Opera Ott Maaten, Director General
• Fondation Ugala Theatre Garmen Tabor, Executive Director
• Kuressaare Theatre Piret Rauk, Director
• MTÜ Teater Nuutrum Jaanus Nuutre, Director
• Rakvere Theatre Velvo Väli, Executive Director
• SA Vene Teater Anne-Lii Päiv, Member of the Board
• Vaba Lava SA Märt Meos, Member of the Board
• Von Krahl Theatre Jaak Prints, General Director

Finlande
• & Espoo Theatre Matilda von Weissenberg, Managing Director
• Finnish National Opera and Ballet Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Artistic Director
• MiklagardArts Erik Söderblom, Director
• Myllyteatteri Miira Sippola, Director
• Viirus Theatre Helsinki Essi Rossi, Artistic Director
• Zodiak – Center for New Dance Ari Tenhula, Managing Director

France
• CCN – Ballet National de Marseille Clémence Sormani, Executive Director
• European Dance Development Network (EDN) Laurent Meheust, Co-President
• Festival d’Avignon Magda Bizarro, Programming Co-Director
• Festival d’Avignon Tiago Rodrigues, Director
• Festival de Marseille Marie Didier, Directrice
• La Rose des Vents, Scène Nationale Lille Métropole Villeneuve d’Ascq Audey Ardiet, Director
• Maillon Barbara Engelhardt, Artistic Director
• Maca (french artistic agency) Matthieu Banvillet, Director
• MC2 : Maison de la culture de Grenoble Arnaud Meunier, General Director
• MC93 – Maison de la Culture de Seine-Saint-Denis Hortense Archambault, Director
• Opéra de Lille Caroline Sonrier, Directrice
• Opéra National de Lyon Richard Brunel, General and Artistic Manager
• Opéra National de Lyon Claire Hebert, Deputy General Manager
• Opéra National du Rhin Alain Perroux, Directeur Général
• Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier Occitanie Valerie Chevalier, General Director
• Passages Transfestival Metz Benoît Bradel, Artistic & General Direction
• Théâtre Durance Elodie Presles, Director
• Théâtre GRRRANIT Scene Nationale Belfort Eleonora Rossi, Executive Director
• Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers Nathalie Pousset, Deputy Director
• Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers Christophe Rauck, Director
• Théâtre National de Bretagne Isabel Andreen, International Development Manager

Georgie
• Tbilisi International Festival of Theatre Nutsa Burjanadze, International Program and
Projects Producer
• Tbilisi International Festival of Theatre Ekaterina Mazmishvili, General Manager

Allemagne
• Academy for Theatre and Digitality Dortmund Marcus Lobbes, Director
• Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe Nele Tippelmann, Head of Youth Theatre (Junges Staatstheater Karlsruhe)
• Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe Hans Christian Firmbach, Intendant
• Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding Veronika Jabinger, 2. Head of Acting Department
• Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding Susanna Werger, Head of Communications
• Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding Barbara Gronau, President
• Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding Maria Goeth, Head of Communications
• Berliner Ensemble Amely Joana Haag, Dramaturg
• Deutsches Theater Berlin Iris Laufenberg, Artistic Director
• European Theatre Convention (ETC) Christa Müller, Dramaturge & Honorary Member ETC
• Festival FIND Florian Borchmeyer, Program Curator
• Kunstfest Weimar Rolf Hemke, Artistic Director
• KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen Rainer Hofmann, Head of Programming
• KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen Beate Schueler, Curator / Dramaturge
• Opernfestspiele Heidenheim Matthias Jochner, Head of Administration Opernfestspiele and Culture City of Heidenheim
• Opernfestspiele Heidenheim Marcus Bosch, Festspielintendant
• Staatsoper Hamburg Georges Delnon, Intendant
• Staatsschauspiel Dresden Joachim Klement, Artistic Director
• Staatstheater Braunschweig Anne Belatra, Head of Workshop
• Staatstheater Braunschweig Dagmar Schlingmann, Generalintendanz
• Staatstheater Karlsruhe Uta-Christine Deppermann, Director Artistic Administration
• Theater & Sinfonieorchester Aachen (Aix-La-Chapelle) Elena Tzavara, General Director
• Theater and Orchestra of Heidelberg Holger Schultze, Artistic Director
• Theater Magdeburg Bettina Pesch, Verwaltungsdirektorin; stellv. Generalintendantin
• E:UTSA Mona Sharifi, Actress
• ITI Germany Yvonne Büdenhölzer and Thomas Engel, President and Director

Grèce
• National Theatre of Greece Irene Moundraki – Head of Drama, Library, Archive & International Relations Department
• National Theatre of Greece Yannis Moschos, Artistic Director
• National Theatre of Northern Greece Maria Lazaridou, Production Coordinator
• National Theatre of Northern Greece Mirto Tsipa, Publication Office

Hongrie
• Radnóti Miklós Theatre, Budapest Adél Kováts, Managing Director
• Freeszfe Laszlo Upor, President
• Független Előadóművészeti Szövetség Kata Kopeczny, Secretary
• Hungarian Theatre Dramaturgs Guild Eszter Orbán, Co-President
• Örkény István Színház / Theatre Máté Gáspár, Appointed Director
• Proton Theatre Dóra Büki, Managing Director
• Trafo House of Contemporary Art Beata Barda, Executive Director

Irlande
• European Dance Development Network (EDN) Louise Costelloe, Co-President

Italie
• BASE Milano Linda Di Pietro, Artistic Director
• Emilia Romagna Teatro / Teatro Nazionale (ERT) Valter Malosti, Director & Member of Prospero – Extended Theatre
• ErosAntEros – POLIS Teatro Festival Agata Tomšič, Artistic Director, Director, Dramaturg, Actress
• ErosAntEros – POLIS Teatro Festival Davide Sacco, Theatre Director and Artistic Director
• Fondazione I Teatri di Reggio Emilia Paolo Cantù, Director
• Fondazione Teatro della Toscana Riccardo Ventrella, Head of International Projects
• Fondazione Teatro Due Francesca Gandini, Producer
• Fondazione Teatro Fraschini – Pavia Francesco Nardelli, General Director
• Liv.in.g. Cristina Carlini, Co-founder
• Ravenna Teatro Alessandro Argnani, General Director
• Ravenna Teatro Francesca Venturi, Producer
• Teatro Sociale Como Barbara Minghetti, Artistic Director

Kosovo
• National Theatre of Kosovo Kushtrim Sheremeti, Director
• Rame Lahaj Foundation Besmir Vokopola, Artistic Coordinator

Lettonie
• Dailes Theatre Juris Žagars, General Manager
• Dailes Theatre Viesturs Kairišs, Artistic Director

Lithuanie
• Lithuanian National Drama Theatre Eglė Švedkauskaitė, Artistic Director
• State Small Theater of Vilnius Gabriele Tuminaite, Artistic Director

Luxembourg
• Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg Tom Leick-Burns, Director
• Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg Anne Legill, Deputy Director

Malte
• ARC Research & Consultancy Davinia Galea, Managing Director The Netherlands
• De Brakke Grond Lisa Wiegel Artistic Leader
• De Toneelmakerij Paul Knieriem, Artistic Director
• De Toneelmakerij Paulien Geerlings, Dramaturg
• De Toneelmakerij Marjolein Van Bommel, General Manager
• Nederlandse Associatie voor Podiumkunsten Mirjam Terpstra, Managing Director
• Noorderzon Festival Mark Yeoman, Artistic Director

Macédoine du Nord
• Lokomotiva- Centre for New Initiatives in Arts and Culture Biljana TanurovskaKjulavkovski, Program Director

Norvège
• Black Box Teater Jørgen Knudsen, Artistic Director
• Det Norske Teatret Kjersti Horn, Artistic Director
• Det Norske Teatret Anders Hasmo, Dramaturge
• Det Norske Teatret Irene Halvorsen, Director
• Festspillene i Nord-Norge Ragnheiður Skúladóttir, Artistic Director and CEO

Pologne
• Divine Comedy Festival Bartosz Szydlowski, Artistic Director/ Theatre Director
• JK Opole Theatre Norbert Rakowski, General Manager and Artistic Director
• Nowy Teatr Piotr Gruszczynski, Dramaturg
• Nowy Teatr Krzysztof Warlikowski, Director
• Nowy Teatr Małgorzata Szczęśniak, Set Designer

Portugal
• BoCA – Biennial of Contemporary Arts John Romao, Artistic Director
• Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém Delfim Sardo, Member of the Executive Board
• Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém Aida Tavares, Artistic Director Performing Arts and knowledge
• São Luiz Teatro Municipal Miguel Loureiro, Artistic Director
• São Luiz Teatro Municipal Ana Rita Osório, Executive Director
• Teatro do Bairro Alto Francisco Frazão, Artistic Director
• Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana Tiago Fernandes, Community Project Director
• Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana Nuno J. Loureiro, Actor
• Teatro do Noroeste – Centro Dramático de Viana Ricardo Simões, President and Artistic Director
• Teatro Nacional D. Maria II Rui Catarino, President
• Teatro Nacional D. Maria II Pedro Penim, Artistic Director

Roumanie
• Constanța State Theatre Erwin Şimşensohn General Manager / Artistic Director
• Teatrul Național ”Lucian Blaga” Cluj-Napoca Mihai Petre Maniutiu, Manager
• Teatrul Național ”Lucian Blaga” Cluj-Napoca Ștefana Pop-Curșeu, Artistic Director
• Piese Refractare Gianina Carbunariu, Director & Playwright

Slovaquie
• Ján Palárik Theatre in Trnava Lucia Mihálová, Artistic Director
• Open Culture! A non-partisan and non-hierarchical platform bringing together over 1,900 individuals and 300 organizations professionally active in the fields of culture, arts, and the creative industries in Slovakia.
• Slovak National Gallery Lucia Gregorova Stach, Senior Curator
• Slovak National Gallery Katarina Vass, UX Researcher
• Slovak National Gallery Damir Demovič, Gallery Educator
• Slovak National Gallery Lubica Liskova, Deputy Director
• Slovak National Gallery Erika Trnka, Directress of a SNG branch
• Slovak National Gallery Alexander Alan Arce, Exhibition Technician/Art Handler
• Slovak National Gallery Juraj Starovecký Videographer, Photographer
• Slovak National Theatre Mário Drgoňa, Dramaturge
• Študyo s.r.o. Branislav Matis, Information Designer
• Association / International Theatre Festival Divadelná Nitra Darina Kárová, Director

Slovénie
• Prešeren Theatre Kranj Rok Bozovičar, Interim General Manager
• Prešeren Theatre Kranj Eva Belčič, Head of PR and Marketing
• Slovene National Theatre Drama Vesna Jurca Tadel, Managing and Artistic Director
• SNG Nova Gorica Mirjam Drnovšček, General Manager
• SNG Nova Gorica Ana Blažica, Dramaturge
• SNG Nova Gorica Marko Bratuš, Artistic Director
• SNG Nova Gorica Jani Murovec, Stage Technician

Espagne
• Opera de Butxaca i Nova Creació Dietrich Grosse, Manager
• RESAD Maria Gomez
• RESAD Ruben Sainz
• Teatro de la Maestranza Javier Menénendez Álvarez, General Director
• Temporada Alta Narcís Puig i Tarrés, Deputy Artistic Manager

Suède
• Dramaten Mattias Andersson, Artistic Director
• Folkoperan Tobias Theorell, Artistic Director
• Folkteatern Göteborg Lotta Lekvall, CEO
• Göteborgs Stadsteater Björn Sandmark, CEO
• Göteborgs Stadsteater Linda Zachrison, Artistic Director
• Malmö City Theatre Petra Brylander, CEO/Artistic Director
• Malmö Theatre Academy Fredrik Haller, Rector
• Mitos21 Staffan Valdemar Holm, Director, Playwright
• Royal Swedish Opera Ellen Lamm, Interim Artistic Director
• Wermland Opera Kjell Englund, CEO/Artistic Director

Suisse
• Accademia Dimitri Corinna Vitale, Teacher
• Accademia Dimitri Marek Turošík, Coordinator of the MA program and teacher
• Accademia Dimitri Anna Gromanová, Artistic Director
• Culturescapes Jurriaan Cooiman, Founder/Director
• Kaserne Basel Tobias Brenk, Artistic Director
• La Bâtie-Festival de Genève Claude Ratzé, Director
• orchester.ch – Verband Schweizerischer Berufsorchester Toni J. Krein President
• Schauspielhaus Zürich Ulrich Khuon, Artistic Director
• Schauspielhaus Zürich Anouk Wallerath, Personal Assistant to the Artistic Director
• Tanzhaus Zürich Catja Loepfe, Artistic Director
• Theater Neumarkt Hayat Erdoğan, Artistic Co-Director, Dramaturge

Ukraine
• Center of contemporary art « DAKH », Gogolfest Vladyslav Troitskyi, Founder/President
• Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater Anastasiia Haishenets, Deputy General Director-Art Director for International Cooperation
• Lesia Ukrainka Lviv Academic Dramatic Theatre Olha Puzhakovska, Executive and Artistic Director
• Lesia Ukrainka Lviv Academic Dramatic Theatre Viktoria Shvydko, Deputy for
Development

Grande-Bretagne
• Battersea Arts Centre Pelin Basaran, Head of Programming
• Cambridge Junction Matt Burman, Artistic Director & CEO
• Colchester Arts Centre Anthony Roberts, Director
• Fenton-Micklem Arts Consultancy Matt Fenton, Co-Director

INTERNATIONAL

Argentine
• Paraiso Club Buenos Aires Ariel Farace, Curator
• Paraiso Club Buenos Aires Ignacio Sánchez Mestre, Curator

Australie
• National Theatre of Parramatta Joanne Kee, Creative & Executive Producer

Canada
• L’USINE C Angela Konrad, Intendantin
• PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Gabrielle Martin, Artistic Director

Etats-Unis
• CEC ArtsLink Simon Dove, Executive Director
• Skirball Jay Wegman, Director