Members of the international movement Arts Against Aggression have submitted an official complaint to the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regarding the participation of US citizens — musicians Allan Harris, Camille Thurman and Tierney Sutton — in the Moscow Jazz Festival, alleging that their involvement may have violated US sanctions. According to the activists, OFAC has confirmed receipt of the complaint and has launched an investigation.
Arts Against Aggression is also calling on all American and European festivals, venues and cultural institutions that have scheduled performances by Allan Harris, Camille Thurman and Tierney Sutton to urgently cancel their appearances until the OFAC investigation has been completed.
It should be noted that Camille Thurman, a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis, performed alongside the Moscow Jazz Orchestra, led by People’s Artist of Russia Igor Butman, at the opening of the Moscow Jazz Festival.
Several other American artists also took part in the festival, including Tierney Sutton, Tamir Hendelman, Darrell Green, Allan Harris and Vanessa Rubin, in addition to Camille Thurman. The budget for the Moscow Jazz Festival exceeds $3 million (240 million roubles). Among its sponsors are Gazprom, which is subject to US sanctions, and the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.
The participation of American artists in this festival may constitute a violation of US sanctions legislation and could create legal risks for the performers and their representatives.