Zdeněk Pánek again a member of the Pearle* executive committee
At the 65th Pearle* General Assembly on 12 May 2023, a new executive committee was elected at the National Theatre in Oslo, including a new president for the next two years. Zdeněk Pánek, Secretary of the Association of Professional Theatres of the Czech Republic, was elected to the governing body of the prestigious European organisation for the third time. On the seven-member committee, he represents members from Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic states: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
The Pearle* conference traditionally brought together representatives of the live arts sector from across Europe to discuss the most pressing issues currently facing professionals. The discussion reflected on the themes of inclusion, diversity, sustainability, artist status and artistic freedom. Two complementary workshops on the topic of inclusion and diversity were held to help participants understand all the practical aspects and the importance of an inclusive approach to live performances.
The Norwegian Minister of Culture, Anette Trettebergstuen, introduced the participants to the "arms' length principle" of cultural governance through boards, which is common in Europe and supports the independent position of individual cultural actors.
Sébastien Justin from FEPS/Les Forces Musicales was elected as the new President of Pearle* for the next two years. "I look forward to working with my colleagues across Europe on a sustainable ecosystem for the live performances sector," he said.
Pearle*- Live Performance Europe is a European federation representing, through its members, over 10,000 theatres, theatre production companies, orchestras and music ensembles, opera houses, ballet and dance companies, festivals, concert halls, venues and technical suppliers and tradespeople within the performing arts and music sector across Europe. The aim of this non-profit organisation is to create a stable environment by supporting the sustainability and promotion of live arts across Europe.