Statement from the living arts sector on the energy crisis

PEARLE*- Live Performance Europe, representing over 10,000 cultural organisations, and EAEA (European Arts and Entertainment Alliance), which brings together over 150 unions, associations and federations, together with over 600,000 artists, technicians and other workers in the live arts sector, met at the regular European Commission Social Dialogue meeting on 6 December 2022. Together, they call on the European institutions and Member State governments to adopt a coordinated approach to addressing the energy crisis in the live arts sector.

This should include not only short-term support to help bridge the current increased costs of energy and heating, but also long-term investments that will lead to better energy efficiency and to fulfilling the obligations under the amended Energy Efficiency Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive, which would also mean fulfilling the European Green Deal.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a crisis that affects many spheres of European society, including the cultural sector. From the very first moments of the war, cultural organizations have become a safe haven for Ukrainian artists and provided them with assistance. Europe has witnessed the horrific airstrikes on the Mariupol theater and many devastated cultural heritage sites. The efforts of the European Commission and EU Member States to help Ukraine restore its cultural heritage are welcome. The performing arts sector helps maintain cultural relations through co-productions, collaborations, development programs, etc., which is also the best way to resist Russian aggression.

Due to the reduction in Russian gas supplies, the resulting energy shortages and the sharp increase in prices, the cultural sector, which has not yet recovered from the impacts of the Covid pandemic, is now struggling with high energy costs. Although everyone is using their limited resources to implement as many energy saving measures as possible – whether it is reducing the number of heated rooms, installing LED lighting, closing off unused parts of buildings, lowering temperatures and a host of other changes – real savings can only come after major investments, such as installing solar panels, insulation, triple glazing and the like.

We therefore ask governments to release the necessary financial resources – for example through national energy and climate plans, or plans for recovery and energy security – to help cultural institutions meet energy standards.

Special attention should then be paid to historic theatre buildings, where the transition to ecological and energy efficiency will require an expert approach that guarantees the preservation of the buildings' unique architectural elements.

The general cost of living continues to rise due to inflation. Here too, targeted government support for cultural institutions and their employees is needed. Especially after the Covid crisis, we cannot turn our backs on people working in culture and their employers.

We ask the European Commission and the Member States to support the cultural sector through increased budgets for culture, targeted support for employees and concrete investments in energy savings and fulfilling the commitments arising from the Green Deal. In times like these, we must not save on culture!