Three groups have withdrawn their productions from the upcoming Cyprus International Theatre Festival (CITF) over the planned participation of Belgian artist and convicted sex offender Jan Fabre.

The festival faced escalating criticism over its decision to include Fabre, with questions raised about how a sex offender could be given a platform at the three-month-long event.

Activist group Afoa criticised Fabres’ participation in the festival, calling it a “symptom of a deeply patriarchal and rotten society”.

Several Cypriot artists shared Afoa’s statement on social media, openly criticising CITF’s decision to maintain its collaboration with Fabre. In response, a theatre group, a production company and a venue cut ties with the festival.

Dance House Lefkosia (DHL), one of the groups that withdrew from the event, explained its decision to step away from the collaboration with CITF in a public announcement.

“We believe in art that promotes and is based on respect and safety for all people,” the organisation stated, acknowledging the importance of open dialogue and repentance in contemporary creativity. However, it added that these values did not appear to guide this particular event.

Initially, the organisation had planned to rent out its space to CITF. However, upon learning that the production scheduled for its roof stage was Io Sono un Errore/I AM A MISTAKE by Jan Fabre, it opted out.

“We withdrew as soon as the schedule was published,” said Dancehouse Lefkosia artistic director Petros Konnaris. “We were not aware of Fabre’s inclusion beforehand.”

Production company Humart likewise ended its collaboration with CITF immediately after the festival schedule was announced.

“Our group is against all forms of violence and condemns the inclusion of a performance by Jan Fabre, who in 2022 was convicted of related offences,” the company stated. Humart had originally planned to present“Chroma”, a production for children aged two to six.

Cypriot theatre group À Vendre became the third group to withdraw from the festival, announcing the cancellation of their production Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich.

“We are left with no choice but to withdraw our production from the festival, despite the financial complications that arise,” the group stated, emphasising their “strong opposition to all forms of violence”.

Director Maria Kyriakou expressed hope that audiences would support the production at its newly announced dates following the decision to leave the festival.

All three groups said they were unaware of Fabres’ involvement until the official festival schedule was published last week.

In 2022, an Antwerp court sentenced Jan Fabre to an 18-month suspended prison term for acts of violence, bullying and sexual assault. Six of the twelve accusations were deemed proven, while he was acquitted of a seventh.

Another five allegations could not be prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, however the court recognised a pattern of sexual harassment and humiliating behaviour.

Testimonies described a “no sex, no solo” rule, with Fabre allegedly telling dancers they had to sleep with him to secure a solo. Some said he lured them to his home under the pretense of creating “visual art”, at times offering drugs and alcohol to the women to “feel more free”. Once alone with them, he abused his power to pressure them into sexual acts. The trial exposed a decades-long pattern of coercion, degradation, and sexual violence within Fabres’ company.

In addition to his suspended sentence, Fabre was ordered to pay compensation and was stripped of his civil rights for five years. Fabre never served time, as he would have faced imprisonment only if he reoffended within five years.

After the trial, Fabre’s lawyer claimed the ruling would “raise questions about the concept of artistic freedom”, echoing a similar defense made by CITF in a statement last week. The Belgian court, however, found that his authority shaped both the art and the abuse.

The Culture Ministry denied any financial or organisational involvement in the festival, stating to the Cyprus Mail that the event was organised solely “on the initiative of a Russian producer in Limassol”. It explicitly stated that all requests for government funding or participation were rejected.

CITF defended its decision to host Fabre in a statement published last Friday, insisting that art should foster dialogue rather than judgement.

Rejecting claims that his inclusion signalled endorsement, CITF said it condemned “all forms of violence”, instead framing it as an opportunity to debate “cancel culture” and artistic responsibility.

The festival argued that the debate had “created the mistaken perception” that inviting Fabre “constitutes an endorsement of his actions, rather than an opportunity for critical dialogue”.

The CITF was founded in 2023 by Russian cultural entrepreneur Alexander Weinstein and held its first edition in 2024 under his leadership. Aiming to “contribute to the cultural scene of Cyprus”, the festival claims to feature 100 artists from Cyprus, the USA, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Estonia and Latvia this year, with approximately 10,000 visitors expected.

However, a look at the festival’s website reveals that, after the three withdrawals, no Cypriot productions remain in the programme. Fabre’s piece, meanwhile, remains part of the lineup and is sold out for its performance on Sunday, March 16, in Limassol.