Peru's Artist College Law Faces Nationwide Rejection

Law No. 32645, approved by the Peruvian Congress, creates a Professional College of Artists (CPAP) that would require actors, musicians, filmmakers and other cultural workers to hold academic degrees (bachelor's and licentiate) to be eligible for membership. Critics argue the measure threatens artistic freedom, imposes a professional‑licensing model unsuitable for creative work, and could be used for political censorship. The law has sparked broad opposition from cultural sectors across the country, especially in the Amazon region of Loreto where many artists are self‑taught or learn through ancestral traditions. Rubén Manrique Espinar, an actor and filmmaker from Loreto, warned that “we do not need a college of artists to declare you an artist” and highlighted that the legislation would exclude roughly 80% of the country's artists, many of whom rely on community‑driven projects such as the floating Muyuna Fest. Protesters fear the college could become a gatekeeper for access to public contracts and state‑funded cultural programs, prompting calls for the law’s immediate repeal.