Amid government intervention, Slovak artists and curators call for EU law to protect freedoms

On 25 August, the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) removed a large permanent installation by artist Denisa Lehocká, claiming it needed the wall space for another exhibition. Lehocká says the removal violated her contract, which required her permission to move the fragile 15-metre-long work, and she had police present to record the event. This incident is the latest in a series of controversies at the SNG amid a broader conflict between Slovakia's art community and its populist government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico and Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, who has fired multiple museum directors and been accused of purging the sector. In response, artists and curators have issued the Bratislava Declaration for Artistic Freedom, calling on the EU to adopt a European Artistic Freedom Act to protect creative expression.

Amid government intervention, Slovak artists and curators call for EU law to protect freedoms

On 25 August, the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) removed a large permanent installation by artist Denisa Lehocká, allegedly without her permission and in violation of contract terms. The removal, which Lehocká calls a "gross violation," occurred amid a broader crisis at the institution, which has seen multiple directors fired and mass employee resignations under the country's populist government. The incident is part of a pattern of government intervention in the arts, including the firing of museum directors by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, who has targeted "progressive art." In response, Slovak artists and organizations like Otvorená Kultúra! have issued the Bratislava Declaration for Artistic Freedom, calling on the EU to adopt a European Artistic Freedom Act to protect creative expression.

What is Art Allowed to Do?

Was darf die Kunst?

German Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer has sparked a heated debate over artistic freedom after excluding three bookstores from the German Bookstore Prize due to undisclosed intelligence reports. The controversy has escalated into a broader confrontation with cultural institutions, highlighted by the Berlin Volksbühne's public criticism and Weimer's subsequent refusal to participate in a scheduled panel discussion. This incident follows a string of high-profile disputes regarding political expression in the arts, particularly concerning the Berlinale and documenta fifteen.

smithsonian wall text citizen historians trump review 1234774613

A collective of volunteers and historians, operating under the name Citizen Historians for the Smithsonian, has documented over 50,000 wall labels across the Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums. This grassroots effort was launched in response to the Trump administration's directives to review and remove what it deems "divisive narratives" or "improper ideology" from federal cultural institutions. The tension escalated at the National Portrait Gallery when a label for Donald Trump’s portrait was edited to remove references to his two impeachments, leading to a "guerrilla teaching" protest by Georgetown historian James Millward.

Trump administration’s anti-woke campaign targets Smithsonian museums

The Trump administration has launched a campaign targeting Smithsonian museums, accusing them of promoting an "anti-American agenda" through exhibits that focus on oppression rather than national achievements. A White House document, obtained by the Guardian, lists problematic exhibits at seven museums, including a Benjamin Franklin display linking his scientific work to slave ownership and a film about George Floyd's murder. The administration has demanded content corrections and threatened to remove what it calls "woke" ideology from the institution.