Around the world, artists take risks when they challenge authority, critique injustice, or push against cultural norms. For some, the consequences are career setbacks or public backlash. For others, the stakes are far higher: arrest, exile, or violence. The very act of creating becomes an act of courage.
Local and Global Responsibility
Communities everywhere face this question: how do we respond when artists are threatened for their work? On a local level, that may mean protecting controversial exhibitions or defending freedom of expression policies. On a global level, it may mean offering refuge or amplifying the voices of artists silenced in their home countries.
Beyond Protection
Supporting artists at risk isn’t just about shielding individuals. It’s about defending the broader principle that societies need challenging voices. When artists are silenced, communities lose the chance to confront difficult truths and imagine different futures.
The Question
If protecting artists at risk means protecting the health of our democracies, then silence is not neutrality — it’s complicity. Which leads us to ask: what concrete steps can communities take to stand with artists whose work places them in danger?
Supporting Artists at Risk
The Cost of Speaking Out
Around the world, artists take risks when they challenge authority, critique injustice, or push against cultural norms. For some, the consequences are career setbacks or public backlash. For others, the stakes are far higher: arrest, exile, or violence. The very act of creating becomes an act of courage.
Local and Global Responsibility
Communities everywhere face this question: how do we respond when artists are threatened for their work? On a local level, that may mean protecting controversial exhibitions or defending freedom of expression policies. On a global level, it may mean offering refuge or amplifying the voices of artists silenced in their home countries.
Beyond Protection
Supporting artists at risk isn’t just about shielding individuals. It’s about defending the broader principle that societies need challenging voices. When artists are silenced, communities lose the chance to confront difficult truths and imagine different futures.
The Question
If protecting artists at risk means protecting the health of our democracies, then silence is not neutrality — it’s complicity. Which leads us to ask:
what concrete steps can communities take to stand with artists whose work places them in danger?