Podrobný výpis o publikaci

The specifics of artistic work have been defined in the Status of the Artist already in 1980 by UNESCO. In the Czech Republic Status of the Artist is still in the process of its approval, which will probably belong to the next Czech government. The pandemic crisis however pointed out all the specific conditions of artists and other cultural and creative professionals (hereafter „artists“). Czech philosopher Jan Patočka, in his “Philosophy of Education” wrote: “a student should not learn only certain means for certain goals but should learn to want something higher … a real breakthrough of everyday life, of dull normality, is the starting point of its own process of education, which has given European humanity meaning throughout history.” Plato calls this process “astonishment” a special feeling or touch thanks to which we uncover our interest in an “idea”. That is why to improve artists’ working conditions, information, interdisciplinarity and Lifelong Learning are crucial for their sustainable careers. As the participants of the Voices of Culture dialogue agreed in the final Report (2021) „The vitality of European culture depends on the well-being, freedom, professional growth and development of the people professionally engaged in culture and art“. Before the Velvet Revolution all artists must had been employed. Nowadays there are still 76 out of 275 theatres funded by state or municipality. Czech cultural policy makers used to see artists mainly as employees. The situation has changed and there are more self-employed artists who must meet the same conditions (health and social insurance payments) as other entrepreneurs. Mapping their situation is therefore essential. The research maps the current situation (including the impact of COVID-19) of artists on the research sample of the Theatre Faculty of JAMU (hereafter “TF JAMU”) graduates (JAMU is one of two Czech public higher education institutions educating future professionals in performing arts and one of four art academies all together) via qualitative and quantitative research methods. One of the objectives of the research is also identifying missing key competences (as stated in the EU Recommendation on Key Competences, 2018) of the artists, that can be improved in a Lifelong Learning programme of TF JAMU and contribute to the artists high professionalism while maintaining artistic integrity and creative freedom. The research also contributed to and, at the same time, drew on the process of the Czech Status of the Artist design, as Theatre Faculty of JAMU was one of the partners who took part in it. In 2021 Lucie Abou also took part in the Voices of Culture, a structured dialogue between artists and other culture and creative professionals with the European Commission on Status and Working Conditions of CCPs.