Artists take risks for all of us. Explore how ARC supports at-risk artists and defends artistic freedom.

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Chapters

What we do

Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) defends and advances the right to artistic freedom, providing practical resources and support to artists and cultural workers, so they can live and work safely, free from fear.

Protect

ARC provides direct assistance to at-risk artists and connects them with an international network of organizations and resources.

Advocate

ARC monitors, documents, and advocates for artists targeted for their creative expression, social justice efforts, or human rights work. ARC defends and promotes artistic freedom around the world.

Amplify

ARC raises awareness about the challenges facing artists and cultural workers, and leads global calls for safeguarding the right to artistic freedom through storytelling, campaigns, publications, podcasts, and events.

Artist
stories

Stories of at-risk artists from all over the world who are committed to protecting their right to freedom of expression and using their art to fight for justice.

Chad

Taigué Ahmed

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Hong Kong

Franki C.

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Nigeria

DJ Switch

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Mexico

PH Joel

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China

Rahima Mahmut

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Turkey

Aslı Erdoğan

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Exhibitions

The Art of Resistance:
Contemporary Art from
Russia & Belarus

 

Curated by Vera Shengalia

 

Where we work

We work wherever artists face danger or repression, collaborating with local and international partners to ensure that no creative voice is silenced, regardless of geography or circumstances.

Africa

Latin America & The Caribbean

Asia & The Pacific

Middle East & North Africa

Europe

North America

INSTAGRAM FEED

“I can’t engage in the art world unless I’m actively having a conversation about institutional critique.” — Demian DinéYazhi’ @heterogeneoushomosexual 

On Indigenous Peoples' Day, ARC looks back at a powerful voice from one of our past summits.

At ARC’s and @artatatimelikethis’s “Dangerous Art / Endangered Artists” summit in June 2024, Indigenous-American artist-activist Demian DinéYazhi’ shared how they grapple with the hypocrisy of artistic institutions in “Is Censorship Discriminatory?” a panel with Lorena Wolffer @lorenawolffer, Shahzia Sikander @shahzia.sikander, and Jasmine Wahi @browngirlcurator. 

To watch the full panel, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0kZ_z2yUic 

Learn more about our “Dangerous Art / Endangered Artists” summit: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-summit/ 

#indigenouspeoplesday

“I can’t engage in the art world unless I’m actively having a conversation about institutional critique.” — Demian DinéYazhi’ @heterogeneoushomosexual

On Indigenous Peoples` Day, ARC looks back at a powerful voice from one of our past summits.

At ARC’s and @artatatimelikethis’s “Dangerous Art / Endangered Artists” summit in June 2024, Indigenous-American artist-activist Demian DinéYazhi’ shared how they grapple with the hypocrisy of artistic institutions in “Is Censorship Discriminatory?” a panel with Lorena Wolffer @lorenawolffer, Shahzia Sikander @shahzia.sikander, and Jasmine Wahi @browngirlcurator.

To watch the full panel, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0kZ_z2yUic

Learn more about our “Dangerous Art / Endangered Artists” summit: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-summit/

#indigenouspeoplesday
...

“Sometimes we draw cartoons and shudder the moment we press the publish button.” - Osman Obaid 

Once a week, ARC shares an artwork from one of the artists we’ve featured in the past. This week, we highlight Osman.

Osman Obaid is a political cartoonist from Al Junayd, Sudan. From a humble beginning at a university exhibition, Osman’s cartoons have evolved into symbols of hope. His art courageously confronts oppression, corruption, and the ongoing fight for justice. 

Through the challenges of censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression within Sudanese newspapers, Osman has grown not just as an artist, but as an activist as well.

Read Osman's story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/osman-obaid 

#sudan #politicalcartoon #politicalcartoonist #artispower 
@osman_obaid

“Sometimes we draw cartoons and shudder the moment we press the publish button.” - Osman Obaid

Once a week, ARC shares an artwork from one of the artists we’ve featured in the past. This week, we highlight Osman.

Osman Obaid is a political cartoonist from Al Junayd, Sudan. From a humble beginning at a university exhibition, Osman’s cartoons have evolved into symbols of hope. His art courageously confronts oppression, corruption, and the ongoing fight for justice.

Through the challenges of censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression within Sudanese newspapers, Osman has grown not just as an artist, but as an activist as well.

Read Osman`s story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/osman-obaid

#sudan #politicalcartoon #politicalcartoonist #artispower
@osman_obaid
...

✨ BREAKING: Photographer and writer Shahidul Alam has been released.

We welcome this news with relief, but others from the humanitarian flotilla remain unjustly detained.

We call for their immediate and unconditional release.

No artist, activist, or humanitarian should ever be targeted for defending human rights and dignity.

#freedomflotilla #gaza
#humanrights #artisticfreedom

✨ BREAKING: Photographer and writer Shahidul Alam has been released.

We welcome this news with relief, but others from the humanitarian flotilla remain unjustly detained.

We call for their immediate and unconditional release.

No artist, activist, or humanitarian should ever be targeted for defending human rights and dignity.

#freedomflotilla #gaza
#humanrights #artisticfreedom
...

🚨 Photojournalist Shahidul Alam @shahidul001 among 145 activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition & Thousand Madleens to Gaza forcibly taken from international waters

We are alarmed that photojournalist and writer Shahidul Alam and others were among 145 activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition & Thousand Madleens to Gaza #freedomflotilla #thousandmadleenstogaza who were forcibly taken from international waters by the Israeli military, roughly 120 nautical miles off Gaza, while delivering humanitarian aid and challenging Israel’s naval blockade.

Shahidul has long stood for truth and artistic freedom, and his voice is vital in these times.

This act, carried out far outside Israeli territorial waters, has been widely condemned as a violation of international law and an example of transnational repression.

We call for their immediate release and safe return.

📄 More info: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israeli-military-intercepts-another-flotilla-heading-to-gaza-and-detains-scores-of-activists/ar-AA1O5Hgs

#artisticfreedom #pressfreedom #freeshahidulalam #gaza #humanrightsviolations #internationallaw #transnationalrepression

🚨 Photojournalist Shahidul Alam @shahidul001 among 145 activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition & Thousand Madleens to Gaza forcibly taken from international waters

We are alarmed that photojournalist and writer Shahidul Alam and others were among 145 activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition & Thousand Madleens to Gaza #freedomflotilla #thousandmadleenstogaza who were forcibly taken from international waters by the Israeli military, roughly 120 nautical miles off Gaza, while delivering humanitarian aid and challenging Israel’s naval blockade.

Shahidul has long stood for truth and artistic freedom, and his voice is vital in these times.

This act, carried out far outside Israeli territorial waters, has been widely condemned as a violation of international law and an example of transnational repression.

We call for their immediate release and safe return.

📄 More info: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israeli-military-intercepts-another-flotilla-heading-to-gaza-and-detains-scores-of-activists/ar-AA1O5Hgs

#artisticfreedom #pressfreedom #freeshahidulalam #gaza #humanrightsviolations #internationallaw #transnationalrepression
...

"I reconstructed the theory of art for myself." - @samiahalaby 

Once a week, ARC shares an artwork from one of the artists we’ve featured in the past. This week, we highlight Samia.

A world-renowned Palestinian-American visual artist, activist, educator, scholar, and "Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists" participant, Samia Halaby was honored last month with the Munch Award for Artistic Freedom. The honor is presented annually by Munch—an Oslo museum devoted to the work of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch—in recognition of artists’ sustained courage and integrity in the face of political and social pressures.

Learn about Samia's award: https://www.artforum.com/news/samia-halaby-receives-munch-award-artistic-freedom-1234735397/ 

Learn about Samia's participation in our summit: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-summit/ 

Image credit: "Rainbow Spirals," 1972, Image courtesy of the artist.

@samiahalaby

"I reconstructed the theory of art for myself." - @samiahalaby

Once a week, ARC shares an artwork from one of the artists we’ve featured in the past. This week, we highlight Samia.

A world-renowned Palestinian-American visual artist, activist, educator, scholar, and "Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists" participant, Samia Halaby was honored last month with the Munch Award for Artistic Freedom. The honor is presented annually by Munch—an Oslo museum devoted to the work of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch—in recognition of artists’ sustained courage and integrity in the face of political and social pressures.

Learn about Samia`s award: https://www.artforum.com/news/samia-halaby-receives-munch-award-artistic-freedom-1234735397/

Learn about Samia`s participation in our summit: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/dangerous-art-endangered-artists-summit/

Image credit: "Rainbow Spirals," 1972, Image courtesy of the artist.

@samiahalaby
...

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