Press Release

Seven major European public theatres will host scholars from Hungary in the 2020/21 season.

The European Theatre Convention stands in solidarity with the students and professors of the University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE) in Budapest. Its director László Upor resigned together with his team after the decision of the government under Viktor Orbán to lift its autonomy. The management of the university shall, as of now, be carried out by a private foundation, whose leadership is appointed by the government ensuring religious and national values are respected.

The freedom of expression and the freedom of art are unconditional values and basic human rights in our democratic societies, they are threatened by the new regulations. ETC stands in solidarity with the students and acts: ETC dedicates its “Artist Residency Programme” 2020/2021 to Hungarian young theatre professionals. The programme invites seven emerging theatre directors for a scholarship to one of the ETC Member Theatres this season.

In line with their charter, ETC and its member theatres offer public spaces to question and reflect on social developments with artistic means. This includes addressing the individual and collective duty to show openness towards others, towards the foreign and the unknown, without restrictions for participation. Theatre as an aesthetic medium reinforces pluralism and helps transmit democratic values. ETC strives to nourish a diverse notion of Europe based on diverse traditions, opinions and dialogue and ensure the responsibility of the arts and humanities to envision an open and equal Europe now and in the future.

All programme details will be announced at the end of September. For further information please visit the project page Artist Residency Programme.