Russian artists, art groups are not welcome in many places

 Russian conductor Valery Gargiyev performs on stage with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schweinbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. September 18, 2020, Photo - AFP

The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces has angered art and cultural institutions around the world, who are canceling performances of Russian artists. Many of these artists are supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Cannes Film Festival, an exclusive guest show, showcases top-quality films from more than 70 countries. They have announced that no Russian envoy will be welcomed this year due to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The festival is set to begin in May.

The organizers of the festival said in a statement on Tuesday that "unless the people of Ukraine are satisfied with the invasion of Ukraine, it is decided that we will not welcome the official representatives of Russia and will not accept the presence of anyone associated with the Russian government."

Russian filmmakers may be allowed to personally attend the festival, but did not say whether their films would be allowed to compete.

The producer of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union, has announced that Russia will no longer be allowed to enter the popular Eurovision Song Contest. The decision follows a recent recommendation from the competition's governing body, The Reference Group.

Broadcasters from Iceland, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands called for Russia to be barred from the competition.

Valerie Gergiev, the chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and Putin's ally, was fired for refusing to condemn the Russian president's actions in Ukraine.

Many concerts of this internationally renowned artist have been canceled and his management company has dropped him.

Some artists oppose this global trend of cultural sanctions against Russia.

French artist Miguel Hehensen is conducting a solo exhibition of his paintings at the Surface Lab Art Gallery in Moscow.

"The industry should not be stopped because of the war," he told ArtNet News. It is important for Ukrainian artists to know that Russian artists support them. "