RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER

We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++ We Need a European Artistic Freedom Act +++

The European Artistic Freedom Act (EAFA)

Together with key European initiatives, we are working on a proposal for the European Artistic Freedom Act (EAFA) to establish a coherent legal framework, guranteeing artistic freedom throughout the Union. This act would transform artistic freedom from a principle into a practical, enforceable right.

Read the document:

Why Europe Needs a European Artistic Freedom Act.

Opening Vienna Festival © Franzi Kreis

About Resistance Now Together

Democracy is weakening. Independent institutions and artistic freedom are suffering. RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER stands up to this: it is an umbrella campaign that links events and performances about art and politics; civil society and the media; and the struggle for democracy in different countries.

Building on a call for artistic freedom in Winter 2024 that connected 200 leading cultural organizations and reached 100 million people, RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER unites all cultural and civil society actors to stand together joined in a united, global and diverse response to rising nationalism.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!

Creatives around the world are invited to submit their performances artistic, talks and events to form part of the RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER campaign.

Submit an event

Upcoming Events

ETC Board's 'Deep Concern' on BITEF

The ETC stands in solidarity with the artists and cultural workers in Serbia who defend artistic freedom and institutional integrity.

Important Message from the State Small Theater of Vilnius to the Theater World

The State Small Theater of Vilnius Speaks Out: Lithuania's Artists Unite Against Political Populism and Threats to Freedom.

Milo Rau Statement on BITEF 2025

"May BITEF not become synonymous with the destruction of artistic freedom, and democracy"

ETC Executive Director Heidi Wiley Statement on BITEF 2025

"It is very concerning to see how quickly limits on freedom of expression are being normalized around Europe"

Milo Rau Blocked from BITEF 2025

The Artistic Direction team of the Belgrade International Theater Festival (BITEF), pictured, has resigned after the board made the unprecedented decision to reject their program.

Can we talk about Art when humanism is falling apart?

Lotta Lekvall Executive Director of Folkteatern in Gothenburg publishes an article about humanity and artistic freedom.

The Rebirth of Tragedy

Milo Rau holds a speech for the RESISTANCE NOW! Symposium as part of the Down to Earth festival in New York, September 2, 2025.

UN HRC Side Event “Democratic Backsliding and Freedom of Expression”

On June 30, Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) hosted a powerful UN Human Rights Council side event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva —and online— to spotlight how democratic backsliding in Europe is increasingly restricting our right to freedom of expression.

Open Letter: In Serbia, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom of creation no longer exist

With the festival season in full swing, an international collective of workers in the performing arts has written to Le Monde to express its solidarity with Serbia's cultural community, the victims of unprecedented government repression.

Read the open letter

"Art is indestructible"

Swiss actress Ursina Lardi delivered a rousing speech about culture as an act of resistance as she received the Silver Lion at the Biennale Teatro 2025 in Venice, on June 14, 2025. (c) La Biennale di Venezia

Read the speech

Sign the Bratislava Declaration

450+ people attended the Open Culture Conference in Bratislava, which concluded with a clear call to protect artistic freedom in The 'Bratislava Declaration'.

Attacks on Artistic Freedom in Georgia

Data Tavadze and the Team at Royal District Theatre, Tbilisi set out how the Church and state-media had attacked 'LIBERTÉ [trigger warning]', calling it “blasphemous” and “propaganda of LGBT”.

EU Culture Chief Pledges to Protect Artistic Freedom

In a meeting with the European Theatre Convention (ETC) at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin, EU Commissioner for Culture, Glenn Micallef, said that promoting and protecting artistic freedom "is one of my priorities.”

Milo Rau interview rbb

Milo Rau launched the "Resistance Now Together" campaign, which advocates for a European law to protect culture. Oliver Kranz reports (de)

New Manifesto

The 75+ leading theaters in the European Theater Convention (ETC) network have endorsed a manifesto, calling for RESISTANCE. NOW. TOGETHER

Open Letter

The board of the ETC backs Romanian cultural organizations in expressing concern about the Government's proposed changes to the management of public cultural institutions.

Night Review Coverage

German theater magazine Nachtkritik covers the launch of RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER by ETC and Wiener Festwochen.

"Art Must Be Free"

MEP and Vice Chair of the CULT Committee Diana Riba i Giner made a strong statement at the Opera Europa conference in Barcelona in March 2025.

At Berlin's Schaubühne

NZZ writes about RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER, and Milo Rau's calls for artistic freedom and resistance against “right-wing cultural enemies”

RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER

The European Artistic Freedom Act (EAFA)

About Resistance Now Together

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!