Ukraine

The European Cultural Community is united in condemning the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

We deplore in the most absolute terms the damage caused to a free country and express our unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine – our friends, our colleagues, our artistic and cultural partners. We also express our solidarity with those in Russia who oppose the war and the actions of Vladimir Putin.

Here's how you can learn more and show your support;

Sign the petition urging world leaders to provide resources for organisations like us to keep collaborating with artists in Ukraine

Check out ETC's 'Voices for Ukraine' campaign

Watch ETC's 'Renaissance' videos from Kyiv's Melodyy Theatre and Dakh Theatre.

Watch Národní divadlo (National Theatre, Prague) charity broadcast 'Awake for Ukraine'

Learn about 'Alaska', a play written in Mariupol/Ukraine included in the ETC Drama Committee’s annual European selection.

Watch Deutsches Theater 'Messages from Mariupol' event

Donate to Mariupol.Life

ETC has been working closely with Ukraine, and the theatre scene in Ukraine, since 2014, in response to the emergence of military conflict.

A delegation of Ukrainian artists was invited to ETC’s International Theatre Conference in 2014. Following discussions at the conference, and in collaboration and with the support of ETC, in 2015 the Ukrainian delegation of artists initiated the first ever Ukrainian theatre showcase. Alongside this, ETC began a programme of scholarships for professional working experiences at various ETC theatres across Europe.

Find out more about ETC's work with Ukraine since 2014; 'Theatre is Dialogue'

If you have an offer of a place to stay, residencies or professional opporutunities outside of Ukraine for our Ukrainian colleagues please contact Teresa Pfaud at ETC - tpfaud@europeantheatre.eu. 

SIGN THE OPEN LETTER: European artists and cultural organisations are urging world leaders to support civil society so that we can continue active collaboration with Ukraine.

We are extremely concerned about the impact of the invasion on civil society. Over the past decade we have developed deep ties with counterpart organisations in Ukraine -- supporting ongoing dialogue and artistic exchange, a thriving democracy, and long-term collaboration with future generations through flagship civil society initiatives such as the EU’s Eastern Partnership.

This dialogue is essential to the promotion of peace in Ukraine. Ongoing international collaboration must be supported at all costs.

We the undersigned urge national, European and global stakeholders to make funds and support measures available so that cultural and other civil society organisations can continue to actively support Ukrainian colleagues. Our organisations are ready to receive and host artists, to stage performances, to organise events, to inform and facilitate access to resources, to advocate for a peaceful solution.

But we cannot do this alone.

We stress that the European cultural sector is united and that you can count on us. We will not allow the aggression of one Head of State to destroy the peace and connections that have flourished and been nurtured in recent years. Let’s show that together we are committed to promoting dialogue, mutual respect, and artistic freedom.

SIGN THE OPEN LETTER ON CHANGE.ORG

ETC's campaign to share messages from artists and theatres in Ukraine.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine ETC has been reaching out to our friends, colleagues and artistic partners in Ukraine.

Here we share their voices and artistic resistance to the invasion. These are comments from individuals and do not necessarily reflect the position of ETC.

LISTEN TO 'VOICES FOR UKRAINE'

ETC calls for European Theatres to support Ukrainian collegues.

Our Ukrainian colleagues are looking for places to stay, for residencies and professional opportunities outside Ukraine.

If you have an offer, please contact Teresa Pfaud at ETC - tpfaud@europeantheatre.eu.

Mariupol.Life are raising money to help artists, performers, theatre makers, actors and young escape the siege of Mariupol.

Led by a team of European Directors who have participated in projects in Mariupol working with local creatives and art teams.

FIND OUT MORE AND DONATE

ETC has been working closely with Ukraine, and the theatre scene in Ukraine, since 2014.

In 2014, in response to the emergence of military conflict in Ukraine, a delegation of Ukrainian artists was invited to ETC’s International Theatre Conference.

Following discussions at the conference, and in collaboration and with the support of ETC, in 2015 the Ukrainian delegation of artists initiated the first ever Ukrainian theatre showcase. Alongside this, ETC began a programme of scholarships for professional working experiences at various ETC theatres across Europe.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT 'THEATRE IS DIALOGUE'

Watch ETC'S 'Renaissance' videos from Kyiv's Melodyy Theatre and Dakh Theatre.

'Renaissance', a project coordinated by ETC in 2021, saw 22 theatres from 18 European countries each write and produce a five-minute short film that responds to the dramatic prompt of ‘Renaissance’.

Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre
"Today we should learn to be closer again in spite of physical distance, to hear and to be heard. We need to come back to the beginning, where there is no fear. We must eventually become happy."

WATCH THE VIDEO FROM NATIONAL ACADEMIC MOLODYY THEATRE

Dakh Theatre - Centre of Contemporary Arts
Renaissance (Kyiv)

Shot in one take, on multiple cameras, this futuristic response to the Renaissance mixes new texts with a Shakespearean sonnet, and original music by renowned ‘ethno-chaos’ band DakhaBrakha symbolized the aesthetics of canvas as weaving "the canvas of life".

WATCH THE VIDEO FROM DAKH THEATRE

Since 2014, 86 Ukrainian artists have been directly supported by ETC projects across residency placements and other opportunities.

ETC has placed emphasis on establishing professionally functioning cultural structures based on democratic values and sustaining close professional and friendly ties between public and private Ukrainian theatres and partners across Europe.

Publications about this process:

In Focus: Ukraine (2014): Inviting a delegation of Ukrainian artists to showcase their work to 200 festival and conference partners at the ETC International Theatre Conference
READ THE PUBLICATION

Theatre, Freedom, Dialogue. European Networking with Theatres in Ukraine and Belarus (2015): Scholarships for Ukrainian theatre makers, the Belarus Free Theatre and the Ukrainian theatre showcase
READ THE PUBLICATION

“Awakening” (2016): Highlighting the latest trends in theatre making in Ukraine, and details of productions created in Ukraine with the support of ETC 
READ THE PUBLICATION

Play written in Mariupol/Ukraine included in the ETC Drama Committee’s annual European selection.

The ETC Drama Committee met on Wednesday 23 March 2022 to discuss its annual “European selection”, based on plays proposed by 9 ETC Member theatres from 8 European countries and selected two plays for English translation.

Alaska, by Greek stage director and author Evangelos Kosmidis, is a play and work in progress performance created as part of DAKH Theatre/Gogolfest’s Marathon of International Residencies in Mariupol (Ukraine) in 2021.

The play includes real thoughts and comments from the children and teenagers who faced the war, who went through all the horror, the children who lost their relatives and lost the opportunity to see them.

The author adds: “Alaska can be a message of peace and a warning to the world”.

FIND OUT MORE

Deutsches Theater's (Berlin) hosted a special event on World Theater Day dedicated to Mariupol Theatre, led by Ukrainian theatre makers.

On March 16, Mairupol Drama Theater - which was providing shelter for Ukrainian civilians and children - was bombed by Russian forces.

Deutches Theater (Berlin) wanted to counter this unimaginable, inhuman act with an evening that gives the city of Mariupol and its people a face and a voice.

This was made possible by the presentation of four theater projects that were created last year - even before the escalation of war - as international cooperations in Mariupol.

In video reports and in conversation, including a live connection to Ukraine, Mariupol was remembered as a place on the mental and cultural map of the world - as a city that is more than just a scene of terror.

The evening was framed by live music by Ukrainian and international musicians and live drawings by the Ukrainian animation artist Sofiia Melnyk.

WATCH THE RECORDING OF 'MESSAGES FOR MARIUPOL'

Národní divadlo's (National Theatre, Prague) charity broadcast 'Awake for Ukraine'.

The initiative ‘Students for Ukraine’, in cooperation with the National Theatre Prague and affiliates, oragfnised a a three-day non-stop broadcast 'Awake for Ukraine'.

The program will consist of a number of performances, concerts, puppet theatre, stage readings, and messages by actors of the National Theatre. Alongside the programme, there will also be a dialogue with experts on current affairs.

The broadcast will not only serve as a gesture of support to Ukraine, but will also direct the viewer to the non-profit organisations suporting those impacted by the War.

FIND OUT MORE AND WATCH THE LIVE STREAM