Andrew Eaton-Lewis: Banning artists from performing is never a wise road to go down

By Andrew Eaton-Lewis
Published on 01/09/2012 18:42

CULTURE is a powerful propaganda tool. From the Olympics-inspired London 2012 festival, to the Year of Creative Scotland campaign, and the tourism offensive launched alongside Disney’s Brave, this year has seen countless examples of politicians using theatre, music, art and film to project a positive image of Britain around the world.

Most artists are ambivalent about this sort of thing – art is supposed to be about subversion and asking questions, not flag-waving. On the other hand, they need to make a living. Luckily we live in a country where, whatever the political agenda is behind a funding scheme (and there always is one), it is still mostly possible to make art without feeling strangled by the strings attached.

In Israel it’s a little different. Since 2007, a government-funded project, Brand Israel, has been trying to use culture to transform the country’s image from a place associated with conflict and bloodshed to a place associated with world class theatre, dance and music.

This is problematic, to say the least, and the result is flashpoints like the one we saw at Edinburgh Playhouse last week. Batsheva, performing as part of the International Festival, are an Israeli dance company who – while critical of their government – have let themselves be co-opted by Brand Israel. This puts them, as EIF director Jonathan Mills said last week, in a “fragile position”. That’s putting it mildly. Many pro-Palestine protesters believe Batsheva are complicit in a campaign designed to distract attention from human rights violations, hence the calls for their Edinburgh show to be stopped – supported by writers such as Liz Lochhead and Iain Banks.

This is a difficult and highly charged debate. My view is that banning artists is never a wise road to go down. I feel the same about the demand by Emma Thompson, Miriam Margolyes and others for Israeli theatre company Habima to be removed from the Globe to Globe festival earlier this year. Habima’s crime? To have performed in Israeli settlements declared illegal under international law. Arguably, both Batsheva and Habima need to wrestle with their consciences. But so do all of us. How many artists from anywhere – Britain, China, the USA – can confidently say they are not complicit in any of the bad things done in their country’s name, particularly if they accept government funding? Expressing a strong view on this subject is one thing, and I admire the protesters for caring enough to do it. But trying to stop performers from working is another thing entirely. That’s a judgment, and I can guarantee it will come back to bite you.

• Last week Andrew... celebrated the end of the Fringe by eating spaghetti bolognese and watching The Matrix in bed. When you’ve barely been home for a month, it’s the little domestic things that count