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Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum: Crisis, theatre and magic... (12/12/2013)

The Union of Theatres of Europe (UTE) sent out an SOS call following the International Cultural Forum that took place in Saint Petersburg.
 
On Tuesday December 3rd, at the Russian Ethnography Museum, artistic directors of European theatres and important stage directors “took a stand” at a round table entitled “The State's obligations to theatre”.  Their concluding statement was that the freedom and independence of art is seriously endangered.
 
A retrospective examination of the place theatre holds in society revealed the spiritual development of society itself through theatre.  The theatre aims to: 
  • remain an instrument that deals with human pain
  • facilitate discussion on everyday problems
  • pose questions
  • help the public perceive problems more acutely, without trials, prejudices, taboos and pogroms.
This is indeed the reason on which all the members of the Union of Theatres of Europe based their agreement to request today's Europe to ensure that the theatre is adequately supported.
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During the round table discussion, many references were made to Greece regarding its ongoing economic crisis, but also regarding the revival of art and ideas on stage. Many participants mentioned that the Greek cultural scene has provided them with a lesson in survival
 
The Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Northern Greece, Mr. Giannis Vouros, somewhat moved by the above, endorsed this view, speaking of some magic that has not only kept theatres open but also full with a public still thirsty even in times of crisis.
 
We have to try very hard just to manage, as the latest situation demands the skills of a magician rather than those of directors or artists. We really need magical conjuring tricks just to keep our great theatrical institutions alive, let alone creative and productive, and at the same time we are obliged to pay off older debts. With a reduced budget, whatever I have achieved at the NTNG is due to pure magic!”
 
In response to Mr. Vouros’s comments, the Director of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, Ms. Tamara Vučković-Manojlović, stated that today everyone is asked to perform magic to ensure the survival of the theatre and the creation of high quality art.
 
During the forum, the Artistic Director of the NTNG had a meeting with Lev Dodin, Honorary President of the Union of Theatres of Europe and Artistic Director of the Maly Theatre, which resulted in finding a common ground for possible collaboration in the coming winter.
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“For many centuries the theatre has bettered European societies and people,  making them more kind, more tolerant, more humble, more free, more intelligent, more generous, more ethical. Today it’s society’s turn to help the theatre.”  This was the concluding message of the conference.
 
Mr. Vouros’s concluding remarks form the underlying principle of all representatives: “We believe that it is the responsibility of both the state and the state theatre, to follow carefully what happens within society, to listen to society’s innermost needs and to create a thinking audience.”
 
This event was organised by the Russian Ministry of Culture, the Union of Theatres of Europe (UTE) and the Maly Theatre, and participants included artistic directors from UTE theatre members, representatives from the political leadership of Russia including the Deputy Prime Minister, Olga Golodets; the Russian Minister of Culture, Vladimir Medinski; the Honorary President of the UTE, Lev Dodin; the President of the UTE, Ilan Ronen; the Director of the National Theatre of Oslo, Hanne Tømta; the Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Prague, Michal Dočekal; the General Secretary of the European Theatre Prize, Alessandro Martinez; and the directors Valery Fokin, Michael Bychkov, and Anna Badora, amongst others.

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