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.
Featured news from ARC
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
Hong Kong
Franki C.
Nigeria
DJ Switch
United States
Dread Scott
China
Rahima Mahmut
Turkey
Aslı Erdoğan
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
On this Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2025, ARC joins PEN International in standing with writers around the world who are silenced for their words.
Today, we highlight Mohamed Tadjadit—an imprisoned Algerian writer known as the “the poet of the Hirak.” A powerful voice for justice, Mohamed has faced repeated arrests since 2019 for his poetry and peaceful activism. In January 2025, he was sentenced to five years in prison on politically motivated charges.
✊ ARC joins PEN International in calling on the Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mohamed Tadjadit and drop all charges related to his peaceful expression.
Read our past statement on Mohamed`s arrest: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/statement/arc-and-pen-america-condemn-the-imprisonment-of-poet-mohamed-tadjadit/
@peninternational #DayOfTheImprisonedWriter #FreeMohamedTadjadit #Algeria #PoetryIsNotACrime
On this Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2025, ARC joins PEN International in standing with writers around the world who are silenced for their words.
Today, we highlight Mohamed Tadjadit—an imprisoned Algerian writer known as the “the poet of the Hirak.” A powerful voice for justice, Mohamed has faced repeated arrests since 2019 for his poetry and peaceful activism. In January 2025, he was sentenced to five years in prison on politically motivated charges.
✊ ARC joins PEN International in calling on the Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mohamed Tadjadit and drop all charges related to his peaceful expression.
Read our past statement on Mohamed`s arrest: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/statement/arc-and-pen-america-condemn-the-imprisonment-of-poet-mohamed-tadjadit/
@peninternational #DayOfTheImprisonedWriter #FreeMohamedTadjadit #Algeria #PoetryIsNotACrime
⛓🇩🇿 Boualem Sansal is FREE!
“While we are enormously relieved that Sansal has regained his freedom and is now in Germany where he can access critical medical care, his case should serve as a stark reminder: across the world, artists and writers continue to be targeted, silenced, or criminalized for expressing ideas that challenge power.”
ARC welcomes the humanitarian pardon and release of Algerian-French writer Boualem Sansal, following international appeals and urgent concerns over his deteriorating health. His case highlights the shrinking space for artistic freedom in Algeria and the critical need to protect creative voices from repression.
Read our statement: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/statement/arc-welcomes-humanitarian-pardon-and-release-of-algerian-french-writer-boualem-sansal/
@peninternational @penamerica @indexcensorship #BoualemSansal #FreedomforBoualem #Algeria #ArtisticFreedom #ArtistsAtRisk
⛓🇩🇿 Boualem Sansal is FREE!
“While we are enormously relieved that Sansal has regained his freedom and is now in Germany where he can access critical medical care, his case should serve as a stark reminder: across the world, artists and writers continue to be targeted, silenced, or criminalized for expressing ideas that challenge power.”
ARC welcomes the humanitarian pardon and release of Algerian-French writer Boualem Sansal, following international appeals and urgent concerns over his deteriorating health. His case highlights the shrinking space for artistic freedom in Algeria and the critical need to protect creative voices from repression.
Read our statement: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/statement/arc-welcomes-humanitarian-pardon-and-release-of-algerian-french-writer-boualem-sansal/
@peninternational @penamerica @indexcensorship #BoualemSansal #FreedomforBoualem #Algeria #ArtisticFreedom #ArtistsAtRisk
How do we defend imagination when it’s under attack?
At the #CECArtsLink2025Assembly, ARC’s Julie Trebault joined Achiro P. Olwoch, playwright, novelist, and filmmaker to confront the defunding of imagination — and reimagine how we can stand together for artistic freedom.
Artistic expression is not expendable — it’s essential.
Together, we defend each other.
Learn more: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/event/arc-cec-artslink/
#ArtistsAtRisk #ArtisticFreedom #CreativeResistance #DefendingEachOther #ArtsAdvocacy @cec_artslink @achiro.p.olwoch
How do we defend imagination when it’s under attack?
At the #CECArtsLink2025Assembly, ARC’s Julie Trebault joined Achiro P. Olwoch, playwright, novelist, and filmmaker to confront the defunding of imagination — and reimagine how we can stand together for artistic freedom.
Artistic expression is not expendable — it’s essential.
Together, we defend each other.
Learn more: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/event/arc-cec-artslink/
#ArtistsAtRisk #ArtisticFreedom #CreativeResistance #DefendingEachOther #ArtsAdvocacy @cec_artslink @achiro.p.olwoch
“There are songs that I couldn`t sing at first because it hurt a lot to sing them. And after many years of singing them, I realized, this wound no longer hurts... I am no longer the same person who began to sing full of rage, full of hate. That possibility was given to me by the arts.” — Rebeca Lane (@rebecalane6)
Guatemalan musician and activist Rebeca Lane has spent the last decade using hip-hop to challenge patriarchy and empower women across Latin America. Drawing from her family’s experiences during Guatemala’s civil war, Lane transforms pain into healing through art — inspiring others to do the same.
🎥 Watch Lane’s powerful music video and feminist resistance song “Ni Una Menos,” an anthem against gender-based violence that has resonated across Latin America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbQ_
🎶 Read her story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/rebeca-lane/
#RebecaLane #Guatemala #NiUnaMenos #ArtistSpotlight
Lane performs onstage in Berlin in 2018. Photo credit: Nika Kramer.
“There are songs that I couldn`t sing at first because it hurt a lot to sing them. And after many years of singing them, I realized, this wound no longer hurts... I am no longer the same person who began to sing full of rage, full of hate. That possibility was given to me by the arts.” — Rebeca Lane (@rebecalane6)
Guatemalan musician and activist Rebeca Lane has spent the last decade using hip-hop to challenge patriarchy and empower women across Latin America. Drawing from her family’s experiences during Guatemala’s civil war, Lane transforms pain into healing through art — inspiring others to do the same.
🎥 Watch Lane’s powerful music video and feminist resistance song “Ni Una Menos,” an anthem against gender-based violence that has resonated across Latin America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbQ_
🎶 Read her story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/rebeca-lane/
#RebecaLane #Guatemala #NiUnaMenos #ArtistSpotlight
Lane performs onstage in Berlin in 2018. Photo credit: Nika Kramer.
“Our opposition thrives on chaos.” — Nikole Hannah-Jones
Across the U.S., artists, writers, and educators are confronting censorship and political pressure that`s reaching new heights.
At ARC’s “Dangerous Art / Endangered Artists” summit in May 2024, Nikole Hannah-Jones joined Aruna D’Souza to discuss how censorship operates across art, race, gender, and sexuality—and how each of us can resist this suppression with clarity and courage.
The insights shared during the summit are now more urgent than ever.
🎥 Watch their full conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkoMPOoKxCk
@nikolehannahjones @invisible.flaneuse
“Our opposition thrives on chaos.” — Nikole Hannah-Jones
Across the U.S., artists, writers, and educators are confronting censorship and political pressure that`s reaching new heights.
At ARC’s “Dangerous Art / Endangered Artists” summit in May 2024, Nikole Hannah-Jones joined Aruna D’Souza to discuss how censorship operates across art, race, gender, and sexuality—and how each of us can resist this suppression with clarity and courage.
The insights shared during the summit are now more urgent than ever.
🎥 Watch their full conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkoMPOoKxCk
@nikolehannahjones @invisible.flaneuse
🇰🇪 “Art is more than just a form of expression—it’s a tool to challenge societal norms, raise awareness, and inspire action.” - @javan_thepoet
From Kenya, to Madagascar, Nepal, and beyond, a new generation of young people is rising up—demanding justice, accountability, and change. Artists are at the heart of these movements, using creativity to amplify truth and inspire solidarity.
Today, ARC spotlights Javan the Poet, a socially-engaged musician from Nairobi, Kenya, whose art embodies this spirit. Through his lyrics, Javan speaks truth to power—denouncing human rights violations, police brutality, and inequality.
“Art can give a voice to the voiceless,” Javan shared with ARC. “The diversity of mediums allows us to reach a broader audience and impact people across different walks of life.”
His work reminds us that art doesn’t just reflect society—it can transform it.
🔗 Learn more about Javan’s story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/javan-the-poet/
#Kenya #ArtistsForJustice #GenZProtests
🇰🇪 “Art is more than just a form of expression—it’s a tool to challenge societal norms, raise awareness, and inspire action.” - @javan_thepoet
From Kenya, to Madagascar, Nepal, and beyond, a new generation of young people is rising up—demanding justice, accountability, and change. Artists are at the heart of these movements, using creativity to amplify truth and inspire solidarity.
Today, ARC spotlights Javan the Poet, a socially-engaged musician from Nairobi, Kenya, whose art embodies this spirit. Through his lyrics, Javan speaks truth to power—denouncing human rights violations, police brutality, and inequality.
“Art can give a voice to the voiceless,” Javan shared with ARC. “The diversity of mediums allows us to reach a broader audience and impact people across different walks of life.”
His work reminds us that art doesn’t just reflect society—it can transform it.
🔗 Learn more about Javan’s story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/javan-the-poet/
#Kenya #ArtistsForJustice #GenZProtests
ARC is excited to take part in the #CECArtsLink2025Assembly: Defending Each Other! — happening THIS WEEK, November 6–7, at La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theatre (NYC) and online.
Join ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault and Achiro P. Olwoch, Ugandan writer, filmmaker, and activist, for a powerful conversation on defending artists and advancing creative freedom.
We’re also honored that longtime ARC collaborator Mai Khoi, a Vietnamese musician and dissident artist, will take part in the Assembly—sharing her experiences and insights on artistic resistance and solidarity.
ARC will also host an Artist Safety Consultation, based on our adaptation of the Safety Guide for Artists to the U.S. context.
As threats to creative expression continue to rise globally, the Assembly—and the artists at its heart—remind us that defending one another is both an act of solidarity and survival.
🔗 Learn more: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/event/arc-cec-artslink/
@achiro.p.olwoch @mai.khoi #DefendingEachOther #CECArtsLink #ArtisticFreedom
ARC is excited to take part in the #CECArtsLink2025Assembly: Defending Each Other! — happening THIS WEEK, November 6–7, at La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theatre (NYC) and online.
Join ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault and Achiro P. Olwoch, Ugandan writer, filmmaker, and activist, for a powerful conversation on defending artists and advancing creative freedom.
We’re also honored that longtime ARC collaborator Mai Khoi, a Vietnamese musician and dissident artist, will take part in the Assembly—sharing her experiences and insights on artistic resistance and solidarity.
ARC will also host an Artist Safety Consultation, based on our adaptation of the Safety Guide for Artists to the U.S. context.
As threats to creative expression continue to rise globally, the Assembly—and the artists at its heart—remind us that defending one another is both an act of solidarity and survival.
🔗 Learn more: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/event/arc-cec-artslink/
@achiro.p.olwoch @mai.khoi #DefendingEachOther #CECArtsLink #ArtisticFreedom
“To be alive for me is equivalent to being an artist. Art saved me. It is the only way to save us from everyday life and bring us back to the truth.” — Samaneh Atef
For Iranian artist and activist Samaneh Atef, art is both survival and resistance.
Growing up surrounded by social restrictions, she was told art was “not for women.” Yet she turned that denial into power—using her art to tell the stories of Iranian women fighting for their rights.
Now living in exile in France, Samaneh continues to create work that amplifies the courage and resilience of women in Iran.
👉 Read her story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/samaneh-atef/
Credit: From the Women in Prison collection, 2022. Pen on paper. Image courtesy of the artist.
@samaneh_atef #Iran #ArtistSpotlight #WomenLifeFreedom
“To be alive for me is equivalent to being an artist. Art saved me. It is the only way to save us from everyday life and bring us back to the truth.” — Samaneh Atef
For Iranian artist and activist Samaneh Atef, art is both survival and resistance.
Growing up surrounded by social restrictions, she was told art was “not for women.” Yet she turned that denial into power—using her art to tell the stories of Iranian women fighting for their rights.
Now living in exile in France, Samaneh continues to create work that amplifies the courage and resilience of women in Iran.
👉 Read her story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/samaneh-atef/
Credit: From the Women in Prison collection, 2022. Pen on paper. Image courtesy of the artist.
@samaneh_atef #Iran #ArtistSpotlight #WomenLifeFreedom
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