Open Letter Defends Artistic Freedom Following Controversy at Croatia’s Festival uličnih čarobnjaka
In June 2026, the Festival uličnih čarobnjaka (Festival of Street Magicians) in Istria, Croatia, became the center of a national debate following the performance of Piti Peta Hofen Show by the French company CIE LPM.
After videos of selected scenes from the performance circulated on social media, the production drew widespread criticism from some audience members, public officials, and media outlets, who argued that parts of the show were inappropriate for a family festival attended by children. The controversy prompted a public apology from the local Tourist Board, calls for official investigations, and statements from Croatia’s Ombudsperson for Children regarding the responsibility of organizers to provide age-appropriate environments.
The festival organizers and artistic team disputed the portrayal of the performance, arguing that widely shared video clips were taken out of context and did not accurately represent the work as a whole. They also noted that the production has been presented internationally for years, including previous performances in Croatia, without generating similar controversy.
The debate has since expanded beyond a single performance to broader questions about artistic freedom, programming autonomy, the role of public institutions, and how contemporary circus and outdoor arts are presented and discussed in today’s media environment.
The following open letter has been issued by festivals, venues, networks, and organizations from across Europe and beyond in support of the Festival uličnih čarobnjaka, the association Čarobnjakov šešir, and the artistic team of CIE LPM. The signatories argue that the controversy raises important concerns about artistic freedom and cultural censorship, and they call for public discussion to be based on the complete artistic work rather than excerpts circulated online. We are publishing the letter in full to provide our readers with direct access to one perspective in this ongoing international conversation.
OPEN LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE “FESTIVAL ULIČNIH ČAROBNJAKA”, ASSOCIATION “ČAROBNJAKOV ŠEŠIR” AND ARTISTIC TEAM OF CIE LPM
We, the undersigned, as representatives of various actors in the scene of contemporary circus and outdoor arts in Europe and abroad, are expressing our
full support for our colleagues from the association “Čarobnjakov šešir”, the organisers of the Festival uličnih čarobnjaka in Istria, and the artistic team of Cie LPM. We are taking a clear stand in defence of the principles of artistic freedom that have recently been called into question.
Following the performance of “Piti Peta Hofen Show” by the French group CIE LPM at this year’s festival, a media storm and fierce public condemnation have erupted, which we believe are disproportionate and unfounded. What happened in Istria is not merely an isolated misunderstanding, but a symptomatic example of the growing pressure on artistic work and the rise of censorship and self-censorship in culture.
As festivals, residential and presenting venues, umbrella organisations, promoters and advocates have worked for many years to develop, strengthen and promote contemporary circus and outdoor arts at European and international levels, we feel it is our duty to speak out whenever artistic freedom is under threat. Our core values are dialogue, diversity, openness, and the encouragement of artistic research. These very values are now being put to the test.
We would like to recall that “Piti Peta Hofen Show” has been performed over 300 times worldwide and has received awards at renowned international festivals. Its content, rooted in burlesque and social satire, has never before provoked such reactions, which raises serious questions about the current state of the public sphere in Croatia.
What is particularly concerning is the way in which individual scenes – taken out of context and circulated on social media – have been used to fuel a campaign equating artistic provocation with harmful content. Such conflations are not only inaccurate but also dangerous, as they relativise real forms of violence and prevent any meaningful discussion of the artistic work as a whole.
Therefore, as actors committed to both a safe and responsible environment and the protection of artistic expression, we call on you to support:
- “Festival uličnih čarobnjaka” and its organisers, in their right to autonomous artistic choice and their professional curatorial judgement.
- Artistic freedom, especially at times when it is contested. Defending it means defending a free, democratic, and culturally vibrant society.
- A debate grounded in facts and in the artistic work as a whole, rather than in isolated fragments and media-driven outrage.
We believe that this case is a crucial test for the cultural sector in Croatia and beyond. The speed with which certain institutions distanced themselves from the festival under pressure reveals the fragility of institutional support for independent culture and sends a worrying signal to all artists and cultural workers.
We stand with our colleagues from “Čarobnjakov šešir” and trust their professional expertise, built through years of dedicated work, international collaboration, and a proven track record of quality programming.
In times when artistic expression is increasingly subjected to moral scrutiny and political pressure, we reaffirm that artistic freedom is not defended only when it is pleasant, expected, or widely accepted – but precisely when it is contested. Defending the space for diverse artistic voices is simultaneously defending a free, open, and democratic society.
ROOM 100, artistic organisation and a festival, Croatia
Croatian Contemporary Circus Artists’ Association, umbrella organisation, Croatia
CIRKORAMA, artistic organisation and a festival, Croatia
Tallinn Fringe, festival, Estonia
Without Walls, festival network, United Kingdom
Circelin CSE, cooperative social enterprise, Greece
VSIA Riga Cirks, national circus centre, Latvia
Ivan Andrašić, artist, Croatia
Cirkus Kolektiv, NGO, Croatia
Kurziv – Platform for Matters od Culture, Media and Society, NGO, Croatia
Kućni kolektiv, artistic organisation and a venue, Croatia
Udruženje za razvoj kulture “URK”/Klub Močvara, NGO and a venue, Croatia
Umjetnička organizacija Kazališna družina Susret, artistic organisation, Croatia
queerANarchive, NGO, Croatia
SPASA Dinamitzacions SCCL, formation, Spain
Feral Festival, festival, Denmark
Zirkus ON e.V., creation program, Germany
ekscena, artistic association, Croatia
La Grainerie, Scène conventionnée art et création, pôle international de production et diffusion, France
Drugo more NGO, Croatia
KONTEJNER | bureau of contemporary art praxis, Association / non-profit NGO, Croatia
bunike, NGO, Croatia
HH Producties, artistic organisation, Croatia
Cirkusfera, artistic organisation, Serbia
Waterford Spraoi, festival, Ireland
Circus Futures Ltd, advocacy organisation, UK
Guilbert, association, France
Cirkultura, Artistic organization and festival, Croatia
Intrepidas Cia, artistic organisation, France
Kontrast Festival (K Cirk), festival, Spain
My!Laika, Company/Artistic Organisation, France
101 Outdoor Arts – National Centre for Public Space, UK
Labin Art Express XXI, cultural&art association, Croatia
Clubture Network, national network, Croatia
Markus Steiner Ender – Asfaltart Italy, festival, Italy
Festival Asfaltrart, festival, Italy
Crying Out Loud, Producing Company and promotor, UK
EBC-223, artistic organisation, France
Maria Börresen, artist, France
Zeynep Kuyumcu, venue, Turkey
Cirque Pardi, circus company, France
Circostrada Network, network, France
Riksteatern, institution, Sweden
Baltic Nordic Circus Network, regional network, Denmark
Bússola, umbrella organisation, Portugal
Czech Contemporary Circus Association, umbrella organisation, Czech Republic
Teatro VeRRdi, artistic organisation, Croatia
Croatian Youth Network, umbrella organisation for youth, Croatia
KLFM – radio u zajednici, NGO, Croatia
Tricycle Trauma, artistic association, Croatia
U.O. Grupa Kugla, artistic association, Croatia
Fade In, NGO, Croatia
Kreativni pogon, NGO, Serbia
Centar za dramsku umjetnost, NGO, Croatia
at.tension, festival, Germany
Zavod Bufeto & Klovnbuf Festival , organisation and festival, Slovenia
Association LFF, NGO, Croatia
Cirk Pozor, artistic organisation, Croatia
Autonomous Cultural Centre, venue/NGO, Croatia
Marja Kovanda, artist, Slovenia
RESTART, organisation, Croatia
Jelena Kalaica, artist, Croatia
Gregor Kamnikar, artist, Slovenia
Matafir Association, Artistic organisation for intercultural connections, Slovenia
circusnext – European platform for contemporary circus, network, France
30defebrer, Culture and education cooperative, Spain (Catalonia)
Davorka Horvat, artist, Croatia
Ki Omos Kineitai [And Yet it Moves], Artistic group, Greece
Festival Trapezi, festival, Spain
Operacija grad / Operation City, network, Croatia
Circuito CLAPS, umbrella organisation, Italy
Triko Cirkus Teatar, artistic organisation, Croatia
Zagreb Clown Festival, festival, Croatia
Arty Farty/ Reset! Network, network, France
Društvo Hystericus, artistic organisation, Slovenia
Arts printing house (Menu spaustuve), performing arts centre, Lithuania
Isish street Arts, Circus & Spectacle Network (ISACS), resource and membership organisation, Ireland
La Central del Circ, Creation Center managed by APCC (Professional Catalan Circus Association), Spain
Fotopoetika, cultural association, Croatia
Združenje SULICA, Slovenian Association of Street Arts, Slovenia
Main image: Piti Peta Hofen Show by CIE LPM. Photo source: CIE LPM website.
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