ART and politics is always a sticky wicket. How political is art? Can art be apolitical? Do we, and can we, separate the art from the artist? The often flippant response is we should consider art for art’s sake. Which is true, to an extent, a rubbish piece of art is still rubbish; strong politics does not redeem the art. 

Another reason why discussions around art and politics is difficult, is that increasingly today we see many refer to “cancel culture.” Which in many cases is used primarily to stoke fury or is similarly brushed off because the individual in question has questionable politics. Though in a more dangerous manner, we see an increasingly antagonistic reactionary movement which is seeking to disrupt anything they believe to be “anti-them.” Leading to actual cancellations.

In May this year, the You Origin festival in Western France, https://pitchfork.com/news/kali-malone-church-concert-canceled-after-far-right-catholics-protest-profane-song-titles/, saw a wave of protest by right-wing Catholic groups who threatened the organisers and were perceived to be a threat to the whole town. Which led the mayor of Saint-Cornely to cancel the event. Similarly, in Spain, Cuban musician Israel Rojas of Buena Fe, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltXBaTvq_Hk, was attacked by right-wing individuals after a performance in Madrid, because he was Cuban. The Cuban poet Nancy Morejon, https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/06/01/renowned-poet-uninvited-from-festival-in-latest-anti-cuba-attack/, was also targeted simply for being Cuban. The French poetry festival le Marche de la Poesie came under heavy criticism for having a Cuban artist as the Honorary President of the festival. Following campaigning from right-wing groups, the festival dropped Morejon. 

These are just three recent examples, though these are not a rarity. It is little surprise we have seen this intensification happen. Over the past century, during periods of increased militarism artists were tested to see if they’d fall in line. Regardless of our personal politics, the arts play a role in this dangerous geopolitical dance.

As has been mentioned by many campaigners, the global political stage is preparing for a cold war, which includes ideological battles. This means that we as artists could be designated persona non grata or deemed socially dangerous because we speak up about a certain thing that is deemed taboo or “inciting radicalism.”

It would be easy to brush me off as paranoid, and the reality in Western Europe is we are certainly not at a point where artists are being detained, but we are seeing the dance play out. As the examples I’ve mentioned demonstrate, all it takes is a dedicated handful to treat you like a threat — and all for what? Making music? 

Artists in all areas of the cultural sector need to learn more about the repressions that are already occurring. 

To quote Heltai’s Ars Poetica:

“Do not wait till you’re invited.
Poet, claim your place
on the rostrum. Warn the neighbours 
of the threat they face.”

Artists also must consider the politics of art more deeply. Ultimately, we need to move to a position where we recognise that an injury to one is an injury to all. We artists have more in common with artists of other nations than we have in common with the rulers of our state. If we learn this, we can be ready for anything – united and together.