STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

Street Artists in Europe
culture was omitted from cultural subsidies. Second, as a result of the weakness of the civil
sector and the lack of recognition of citizens’ “responsibility”, all events desirous of enhancing
social cohesion and urban restructuring remained marginal for almost the whole decade of the
1990s. Street arts only developed in countries where they already had their traditions (like
Poland, Croatia and very partially Hungary), and they could not develop in countries where they
had no traditions at all (like Latvia, Finland, Denmark). In these countries, street arts events and
festivals are very often in conflict with the local authorities which consider them as dangerous
events that disturb local life, creating disorder and frightening potential urban investors away
from urban areas (this is less the case for events attracting direct economic or urban input as, for
example, festivals financed by private funds or events promoting local development related to a
municipality).
In several cases, in Eastern European countries, street arts still have a provocative impact on
local and national policy-making. They tend to call attention to urban subjects that in other parts
of Europe are already integrated into public spatial policies, such as the necessity of urban
rehabilitation faced with demolition. One of the reasons for this particularity is certainly that
urban development is still in another phase in this part of Europe: many deteriorated, run-down
areas still need adequate policy-making in order to be integrated into urban development. In this
mission, street artists very often find themselves in conflict with local actors: not explicitly with
the local municipality, but also (and perhaps even more so), with economic investors who want
to shape the areas according to their interests. As a result of their small budgets, municipalities
are often subordinated to these investors. In these circumstances they are logically against street
artists even if the latter intend to take in charge some duties of the municipality, such as social
and spatial integration or the reinforcing of public solidarity…This has been stressed by a
Latvian festival Director: ‘There is a need for a different attitude on the part of the municipality.
While working on state-owned sites, the duration of our presence is always limited. The state
and the city aim to sell the land to private businesses as soon as its value reaches a certain level.
For instance, the cultural events organised in abandoned factories are endangered by private
businesses which are more and more willing to rent out these spaces for a market price. The
same scenario is obvious in the case of the old port territories, where certain buildings were
given to cultural NGOs for a limited time, in order to attract audiences and potential investors,
buyers. The same with the old military district, when it gets popularised, the state gets it back
from the cultural NGOs, and sells it. All these processes turn the situation of the independent
cultural infrastructure into a more difficult one.’ 50
4.3. Tools
4.3.1. The choice of area and neighbourhood
The majority of events are located in the city centre, concentrating economic and tourism
attractions. Intermediate areas, between the centre and the outskirts, are the second most
attractive areas for street arts events, especially in largest cities. And finally, the least number of
the events are organised in suburban areas. Nevertheless, at least two types of locations have
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Interview with a Latvian operator. And also: ‘Usually if a company has a large working space, it has invested a
lot of private money into the creation of the space. There was in Sardinia a funding law which supported
restructurising of buildings for theatrical use etc. but it has not been applied now for several years. The Region
of Sardinia has also invested a lot of European money on restructuring ex-theatres in different towns, but
without involving the artists and without thinking of who is going to run the theatre. The consequence: the
theatres are restructures without consulting those who work in them and often the buildings are ready, but there
is no keeper or organiser who runs the theatre. A lot of cathedrals in the desert.’ (Director and Artist, Italy –
interview)
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PE 375.307