Iranian Artists Call For Boycott Of Regime’s Culture Ministry

A group of Iranian artists have called on their peers and writers to boycott the Iranian culture ministry and to defy the censors.

In a statement, the activists calling themselves "Art/Culture/Action" center said: "We urge all the artists, writers, publishers, and those involved in Iranian film-making and drama not to recognize the cultural monitoring, to stand against the unjust censorship."

The signatories said that they will no longer seek permission from government institutions for any artistic and intellectual activity, including setting up exhibitions, publishing books and magazines, and making and screening movies.

The Art/Culture/Action Center introduced itself on Instagram as "a group comprising a number of Iranian art practitioners" that "was formed with the aim of supporting political, and civil freedom in Iranian art society".

During the nationwide protests following the killing of Mahsa Amini, many writers and artists expressed support for the demonstrators. Scores of writers and translators also announced that they would no longer cooperate with the ministry of culture.

As Tehran International Book Fair gets underway, many publishers and people have boycotted the fair according to reports.

Last year, dozens of Iranian writers and poets announced they will publish their works without submission for approval by the Islamic Republic, until censorship stops in Iran.

The announcement titled “We the literary” was published by a Canadian Iranian writer, Fereshteh Molavi, but it is signed by writers from Iran and the diaspora.

The clerical government in Iran requires all books, films and music be submitted for review or be censored before publication or screening. Works by artists perceived to have dissident ideas usually get rejected and others are altered to fit the religious and political boundaries of the authoritarian regime. Some books have been in limbo for years, waiting for permission.