The Belarus Free Theatre, whose 16 members have now gone into exile to escape the Lukashenka regime, are preparing to perform at the Barbican in London in 2022
Sixteen years since it was first founded, and ten years since its co-founding Artistic Directors sought political asylum in the UK, the internationally acclaimed Belarus Free Theatre (BFT) has been forced to move its entire ensemble out of Belarus.
Focusing attention on ‘cultural rights defenders’ writers among them PEN’s new ‘Safety Guide for Artists’ outlines issues, protocols, and resources for those working for freedom of expression and publication.
Image: PEN America, Artists at Risk Connection
Safety Guide: ‘Setting Up a Support Network’
In a presentation today (February 3) to help introduce its new
Safety Guide for Artists, PEN America held a morning discussion on “cultural rights defenders” and their place among those who work for human rights.
The United Nations’ special rapporteur in cultural rights, Karima Bennoune, was joined in the event by photographer and activist Shahidul Alam; Belarus Free Theatre’s Natalia Koliada; and the director of Al Mawred Al Thaqafy, Helena Nassif.