Joint Statement on Russia’s War Against Ukraine by the Culture Funding Institutions of the Baltics

We, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia and the Lithuanian Council for Culture strongly condemn Russia’s war on the sovereign country and people of Ukraine. This brave country is fighting for all of us today, for freedom and democracy reaching far beyond Ukrainian borders which is exactly what Putin’s regime is challenging. Since Ukraine is fighting our war, we must not stand in silence and neutrality because Ukraine deserves everything it asks for.

Therefore, all three culture funding institutions of the Baltic States declare that under no circumstances can we legitimise brutal Russian policies and the soft power of Russian Federation through culture in its broadest sense. All three institutions of the Baltics have completely suspended cultural relations with the Russian Federation. We will no longer invest money in projects connected with cultural figures loyal to Putin’s regime and Russian capital, we will not accept performers and artists from Russia or send ours there. Only the complete isolation of Russia, including the severance of relations with culture and cultural figures, is the only non-military way to force Putin and his henchmen to abandon the plan to seize Ukraine.

We, the undersigned, also declare that the same principle applies to the Baltic Culture Fund which is run by the national culture funding institutions of the Baltic States – no projects connected with Russia will be funded, no collaboration with artists and organisations will be tolerated as long as they openly support Putin’s regime, silence its crimes or do not publicly and directly oppose it.

We stand with Ukraine!

Signed:

Margus Allikmaa, Chairman of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia

Zane Kreicberga, Chairwoman of the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia

Asta Pakarklytė, Chairwoman of the Lithuanian Council for Culture