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"Tirana has become like a dormitory", Shehi: We can no longer find theater, the artist's freedom is a public value
2026-05-11 21:01:16 / POLITIKË
The relationship between art and politics was part of today's debate on Off the Record with Andrea Dangli on A2 CNN, a few days after the artists' support in the court hearing against Erion Veliaj. In the studio of Off the Record with Andrea Dangli on A2 CNN, the head of the LZHK Dashamir Shehi said that art and artists have an obligation to react to the lack of freedom and injustice, even when politics does not see them.
"An artist sees violence and lack of freedom where others don't. This is the relationship that art should have with politics. Artists judge that public freedom is more important than power," he said on Off the Record with Andrea Dangli on A2 CNN.
Bringing attention to the demolition of the National Theater, Shehi said the capital has become like a dormitory and has lost an important part of its historical and cultural memory.
"Art was sacrificed when it came to the theater. It's not about the theater that those millions were lost, but a historical memory of the city and architecture was lost. This city needs material objects to tell the story. They violated a cultural and urban institution that had taken a place in the collective memory, when this new structure could have been built on the new boulevard and would have added an asset to the city. We have history, but we also have a modern structure, Albania needed a new and modern theater, presentable, functional, but not to ruin it. If they had built the new one there, they would have given value to another corner of Tirana that is from the university to the Tirana Hotel. The rest is a dormitory, there is nothing. They could have built another theater there. They create some squares that also have a leaven of culture and institution," said Shehi on Off the Record with Andrea Dangli on A2 CNN.
Shehi expressed regret that some artists did not join the protests to protect the theater, emphasizing that the issue should not be politicized, but treated as a matter of public and cultural interest.
"You can't find the theater anymore. Tirana could have this beautiful structure like a steamboat on the new boulevard. This worries me, and I was sorry that some artists did not join this topic with enthusiasm. Even though it was politicized, when in fact it should be discussed beyond politics. As a citizen, the freedom of the artist is a public good, the right of the artist even when he raises his voice when he exaggerates is a public good. This should be understood by those who have an above-average education to understand that these are the values of art that we must preserve."
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