09-04-2025
The signatories urge these institutions to systematically document and monitor violations of artistic freedom, which are on the rise across Europe. These threats—driven by political and social pressure—often go underreported and unaddressed, leaving artists and cultural actors vulnerable and unsupported.
Artistic freedom is a fundamental right, and protecting it is vital for upholding democratic values. As the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023–2025 underlines, enabling artists to freely pursue their work is essential to ensuring that diverse voices are heard in society.
Pearle* stands firmly for the freedom of creation, artistic autonomy, and the right to express cultural and artistic viewpoints without fear of censorship or restriction. Documenting violations to these essential values is a crucial step toward ensuring that these rights are upheld across all EU Member States.
Read the full call
The call is co-signed by the following organisations:
- Artists at Risk (AR), is a mondial network of artistic institutions, non-profits, municipalities, state institutions and international organisations to assist, relocate and fund artists who are at risk of persecution or oppression, or are fleeing war or terror.
- Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) facilitates pro bono immigration representation and resettlement assistance for international artists who are persecuted or censored.
- Creo is Norway’s largest union for arts and culture, and a member of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), representing almost 11 000 members.
- Culture Action Europe (CAE) is the major European network of cultural networks, organisations, artists, activists, academics and policymakers. The political voice of the cultural sector in Europe, the first port of call for informed opinion and debate about arts and cultural policy.
- ECSA - The European Composer and Songwriter Alliance represents around 30,000 music creators from more than 25 different European countries.
- EMC – The European Music Council is comprised of 75 members across three categories: 34 European and International Music Organisations, 28 National/Specialised Music Organisations, 13 National Music Councils.
- ECCD -The European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity is an association of national coalitions which promotes the diversity of cultural expressions bringing together 11 national coalitions in a federation covering all professions in the artistic and cultural sectors.
- FIM The International Federation of Musicians / Federation Internationale des Musiciens, is a global union federation bringing together trade unions representing music performers from 70 countries.
- FREEMUSE is an independent organisation advocating for freedom of artistic expression and cultural diversity with Special Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC) and Consultative Status with UNESCO.
- IETM – International network for contemporary performing arts is an international cultural network, representing the voice of over 500 performing arts organisations and individual professionals working in the contemporary performing arts worldwide.
- On the Move support artists and professionals to operate internationally providing information on cultural mobility.
- Pearle* - the "Performing Arts Employers Association League Europe" represents through its members more than 13 000 managers of theatres, concert venues, theatre production companies, orchestras, operas, ballet and dance companies, festivals, promoters and other professional organisations in the performing arts in Europe.
- PEN International is recognised as the world’s foremost association of writers, operating across five continents in over 90 countries, with 130 Centres as well as a leading international charity and expert on freedom of expression.