Preamble
Culture constitutes an important vehicle for each person, individually or in community, as well as for groups of people, to develop and express their humanity, their worldview, and the meanings they attribute to their existence and development. Culture can be a source of well-being, enjoyment, and entertainment, but above all, it is a key element for the progress of society, as it contributes decisively to social debates, offering discourses that oppose existing centers of power or serve as a counterbalance to them. Cultural vitality is necessary for the development and functioning of democratic societies in that it questions meanings and reexamines inherited ideas and concepts.
The fundamental task of applying universal human rights standards is to prevent the arbitrary primacy of certain perspectives based on their traditional authority, institutional or economic power, or demographic supremacy in society. This principle is the essential element of any issue raised in the debate on the right to freedom of expression and its possible limitations.
This decalogue is based on a commitment to promoting and defending diversity and freedom of expression in the cultural sphere. It recognizes the importance of fostering a safe environment in which cultural expression can flourish without undue restrictions, while reminding that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and a central element in democratic societies. It also acknowledges the potential threat posed by self-censorship in our society and seeks to actively counteract it. It believes in the visibility and empowerment of all cultural institutions and aspires for diverse voices in Catalonia to find their opportunity for expression without fear of repression or censorship.
This decalogue sets out a series of principles that will guide actions and decisions in the management of cultural institutions in Catalonia. These principles aim to preserve the integrity of freedom of expression, ensuring that the fundamental values that bring life and commitment through culture are respected.
With this in mind, the Gran Teatre del Liceu affirms and adopts as its own the ideas expressed in the following
Decalogue
The right to free expression must be applied universally, without distinction based on race, color, gender, age, functional and cognitive abilities, language, religion, belief, political opinion, place of birth or residence, social origin, economic position, or any other condition.
Public cultural institutions or those supported by public funds must guarantee and promote this right, with special attention to people belonging to ethnic, cultural, and linguistic minorities, intersectionality, and those at risk of social exclusion for various reasons.
Furthermore, they must contribute to creating and maintaining a climate favorable to cultural freedom of expression and promote the material conditions that facilitate the free expression of talent without limitations.
Public cultural institutions commit to respecting the autonomy of artists, creators, curators, and other cultural professionals, avoiding any unjustified intervention in their work, and establishing protocols to detect and prevent any form of censorship or self-censorship in their programming, content, or the exercise of their activity.
They must also guarantee content diversity, promoting the inclusion of different voices and perspectives. The fact that certain content may cause controversy or discomfort among some sectors of society should not be a reason to avoid programming it preventively or to withdraw it from public exhibition or consultation. On the contrary, promoting constructive social debate around it and strengthening artistic education and the critical sense of the population should be a solid and effective alternative to the temptation of censorship.
The only limitations to free expression must be determined by current legislation, with the exclusive aim of preventing incitement to hatred, hostility, or violence against individuals or groups and ensuring the rights and general well-being in a democratic society. In cases where limitations are exercised, they must be established by transparent legal norms, subject to international law, and applied in a proportionate, coherent, and non-discriminatory manner. Adequately contextualizing works created in other historical and social moments can be an effective measure in this regard.
In order to guarantee freedom of expression, the programming and content of public cultural institutions or those supported by public funds must adhere to clear and transparent criteria. Similarly, those responsible for the programming and content of these institutions must be selected based on clear and transparent criteria, and their work must be subject to public scrutiny to guarantee the independence of cultural institutions from political interference.
Additionally, mechanisms must be established to ensure transparency in the governmental and private funding of cultural institutions to guarantee their independence and avoid any form of interference or bias in management, programming, and content.
Cultural institutions must ensure that artists, creators, curators, and other cultural professionals who collaborate or participate in their programming and content have their labor and intellectual property rights guaranteed as a protective measure for the right to freedom of expression.
No one can invoke this decalogue or the principle of freedom of expression to violate the rights and freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and guaranteed by international law or to limit their scope of application.