STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

Greece
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Street Artists in Europe
There are 2 kinds of private theatres in Greece: (1) commercial Theatres that belong to big
managers who promote firms and stars; (2) non-profit Repertoire Theatres. Some of these are
supported by the Government. The second category theatres are the most dynamic part of Greek
theatre. Small, medium or large theatre groups create with inspiration and vision and present
many performances in various spaces. Leaving apart National Theatres in Athens, Thessalonica
and 16 municipality theatres all over Greece there are about 150 theatres in Athens which
centralizes 90% of the theatre movement-production in Greece. In the other cities of Greece
there are about 50 more. Most of the theatre spaces were not designed from the beginning to
function as theatres. Very few were built and designed or transformed to be a theatre. Theses
few are large theatre buildings that belong to foundations or to the Church, and present well
known names and Stars.
The rest of the theatre spaces are old warehouses, large neo-classical buildings, old movie
theatres, old factory spaces or even basements and garages that were transformed more or
less into theatre spaces. And this is what is most interesting. Furthermore, it is also very
interesting and “healthy” to think about what one will do and what the mind of theatre people
will invent in order to find a space that will host their dreams, sensitivity and imagination.
Naturally, to the gaiety and desire of the people of the theatre comes to answer the misery and
“un-generosity” (financial and ethical) of the organized Greek State. Politicians that do not
respect or appreciate art in general, do not understand and underestimate theatre.
In the last 40 years, no government has had any kind of cultural policy. Nevertheless, the
Ministry of Culture supports financially only about 50 private, non-profit, theatres where the
debts are also very high. This happens because another paradox exists in the theatre area. While
creation blooms and develops in so many performances and theatres (a unique phenomenon in
Europe) the audience diminishes. There is again a gap which can be filled up with much
cheaper street theatre programs.
Hungary
The Association of Hungarian Alternative and Independent Theatre (AHAIT) was founded in
1994 by ten groups. It could really give a help for these groups to get out of the ’amateur’
ghetto that always brought a pejorative connotation in the Hungarian professional theatre life.
Soros Foundation had been the first and only supporter of them beforehand, Culture Ministry
cam later with grants.
Since spring 2003 the General Assembly of AHAIT has been emphasizing progressivity,
innovation, independent creation and, ultimately, a profound change in Hungarian Theatre
Regime. Our conviction is that after having integrated into the European Community it is
untenable the outdated Hungarian theatre structure which spend about 10 million Euros on the
mainstream state supported theatres, while the whole range of alternatives gets about 500
million HUF (€ 200 000). We all do believe that the pawn of multicoloured theatre lies in the
personal and unique relation. The biggest problem of the operation of alternative and
independent theatres is that, in spite of the foreign examples, we do not attach importance to the
institualisation of this type of theatres. In fact the case is right the contrary. Even if it is true
that these institutions look like they would resist to any institualization being much more mobile
than the traditional theatres. Mobility here means personal theatre thinking, sensibility for
PE 375.307