Peru: Push to Repeal Law No. 32645 Grows Amid Concerns Over Artistic Freedom

• Parliamentary groups Ahora Nación (AN) and Juntos por el Perú (JP) have introduced a bill to repeal Law No. 32645, which established the Professional Association of Artists of Peru (CPAP).
• The proposed legislation argues that the law violates the right to free cultural creation and infringes on the principle of equality by excluding self-taught artists and those practicing ancestral knowledge.

Criticism and Concerns

• The law has faced widespread rejection since its enactment for several reasons:
  • Systemic exclusion of self-taught artists and traditional cultural practitioners.
  • Interference with the fundamental rights of creation and labor.
  • Inclusion of a clause barring individuals disqualified from public office from joining the association, which critics view as a targeted attack against current CAL dean, Delia Espinoza.
• Representative Rossana Alayza Maccera and members of the Buen Gobierno (BN) caucus introduced a separate repeal bill (No. 00012-2026-2031-CD) on August 7, signaling strong opposition representation.

Grassroots Organizing

• The public has mobilized to advocate for cultural rights through various local initiatives:
  • August 12: A dialogue session titled "Who decides who is an artist?" held in Trujillo to gather artists, educators, and cultural managers.
  • August 16: A "Creative Day & Discussion" scheduled in Lima Sur to address concerns regarding the regulation of artistic practice.
• Organizers maintain that artistic expression should remain free from government control, asserting: "Because art cannot be controlled: it is lived, created and organized!"