The Voice of Our Country's Artists on the World Stage: A Historic Step in Sofia by Kültür Emek-Sen and Birleşik Kamu-İş

The International Federation of Musicians (FIM – Fédération Internationale des Musiciens), the world's largest organization of musicians, founded in Zurich in 1948 and organized in 70 countries, held the 21st Meeting of the FIM European Group in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, on November 1–3, 2026. At this historic gathering, hosted by the Bulgarian Union of Musicians and Dancers (UBMD), public-sector artists and music institutions in Türkiye were officially represented for the first time.

The three-day summit, whose intensive program also included a concert and cultural events at the National Theatre of Bulgaria, was attended by President Yavuz Demirkaya and Legal Secretary / Central Executive Board Member Burç Balcı on behalf of the Cultural Workers' Union (Kültür Emek-Sen), and by Legal Secretary / Central Executive Board Member Hakan Boyar on behalf of the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Kültür Emek-Sen Legal Secretary Burç Balcı presented the "Country Situation Report," prepared to FIM's official standards. The presentation, delivered in English, was simultaneously interpreted into three languages.

Key Sessions and the Global Music Agenda

Throughout the meeting, expert panels addressed the current legal, technical and economic problems that musicians face around the world:

• —Carrying Musical Instruments on Aircraft: New standards for carrying instruments as cabin baggage under EU regulations, and the practical difficulties musicians encounter, were assessed.
• —Musicians' Health, Stress and Mental Health: With union representatives from the Netherlands (NTV), Germany (ver.di) and the United Kingdom (UKMU), the panel discussed stress, anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders among musicians, along with occupational health solutions.
• —Digital Broadcasting and the Threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Murat Yıldız, Secretary General of MÜYORBİR (the Turkish Music Performers' Collecting Society), spoke on the panels alongside representatives from Belgium (PlayRight), Spain (AIE), Poland (ZAMiP), Denmark (Dansk Musiker Forbund), Sweden (SAMI), Greece (Apollo) and France (Spedidam). The panels examined the 2019 CDSM Directive, streaming royalties, the unauthorized processing of music recordings by generative AI companies, and the protection of rightholders' moral rights. Speakers stressed the goals of collecting mandatory royalties from AI companies and channeling them back into the music economy.
• —Brexit and Barriers to International Touring: The economic impact of mobility restrictions on touring musicians was discussed and new research was presented.
• —The Noise Directive and Stage Ergonomics: Twenty years after the adoption of the Noise Directive, the practical occupational health solutions applied in orchestras and on stage were reviewed.

The Systemic Problems of Turkish Artists on the Table

The Türkiye report was presented in full in sessions chaired by FIM President John Smith (United Kingdom), FIM General Secretary Benoît Machuel (France) and FIM Vice Presidents Tino Gagliardi (USA), Karin Inde (Sweden), Edith Katiji (Zimbabwe), Irene Monterroso (Costa Rica) and Beat Santschi (Switzerland).

The international delegation was briefed on the precarious, low-paid and insecure employment under 4/B contracts in Türkiye's state symphony orchestras, state opera and ballet directorates, choirs and traditional arts ensembles; on trade union legislation that denies the right to strike (Law No. 4688); on employment models and income inequality; on occupational diseases; and on the royalties lost to broadcasters and digital platforms.

Following the summit, Kültür Emek-Sen was also invited to the FIM International Orchestra Conference, planned for 2027 in Paris, the capital of France, where the working conditions, professional rights and structural problems of orchestra musicians worldwide will be discussed in depth.

"We Will Keep Fighting for International Standards"

In a statement issued after the meeting, Kültür Emek-Sen noted that our public-sector artists had never before been represented in FIM, which since 1948 has brought together unions from 50 countries on five continents, and that a historic first step had therefore been taken. The statement added that, alongside its strong experience in class-based trade unionism, Kültür Emek-Sen has a significant presence as a professional union in culture and the arts: with artists from many fields and intellectuals in its leadership, it has built a shared artistic language and a strong capacity for representation.

The statement read: "The invitation we have received will provide historic continuity in bringing the working conditions of public-sector artists in our country up to European standards, in making the voice of orchestra musicians heard on a global scale, and in developing joint solutions with FIM. We will continue to share the data and contacts we have gained with the public. Kültür Emek-Sen will continue to be the voice of arts workers not only nationally but internationally."

Central Executive Board, Cultural Workers' Union (Kültür Emek-Sen)