European Alliance of Academies receives EU funding for the first time

The project draws attention to the manifold threats currently facing artistic freedom in Europe: rising nationalism, drastic cuts to cultural funding, ongoing war and the climate crisis call for new strategies of resilience and resistance. In the context of “Re:Create Europe”, the European Alliance of Academies will explore and develop these strategies through Europe-wide residencies for artists and cultural professionals and public lecture series. The results will be published in a digital “atlas”.

The importance of the work of the European Alliance of Academies is currently evident in Spain. The Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid, a founding member of the Alliance, is facing massive budget cuts by the Madrid regional government under Isabel Díaz Ayuso. The reduction in funding from 250,000 to 12,000 euros within two years accounts for 7 % of the total budget and means the end of exhibitions, film screenings and other cultural events in many cases. In a statement, the European Alliance of Academies has commented on the political developments in Madrid and criticised the cuts.

The members of the European Alliance of Academies also express their solidarity with the ongoing protests in Serbia against corruption, arbitrary government action and drastic cuts in the cultural sector under the government of President Aleksandar Vučić.

For the first time in three decades, the Ministry of Culture and the City of Belgrade have cut financial support for cultural projects, including the renowned BITEF theatre festival and the FEST film festival. The Alliance members support the mostly young demonstrators, who are using their ingenuity to motivate all sections of the Serbian population to protest.

Since 2020, the European Alliance of Academies has been campaigning for freedom of the arts in Europe and showing solidarity with artists who suffer from political restrictions on their artistic freedom. Initiated by former Akademie President Jeanine Meerapfel, the alliance has repeatedly drawn attention to various violations of artistic freedom, demanded autonomy for arts and cultural institutions in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and supported those affected on the ground.

Further information: www.allianceofacademies.eu

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