FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 28, 2025

(NEW YORK) – Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) today strongly condemned reports that two art exhibitions–one, “Before the Americas,” featuring Black artists from across the Americas and the other, “Nature’s Wild With Andil Gosine,” showcasing queer artists from Canada–were summarily canceled at the Art Museum of the Americas (AMA), citing the sitting administration’s withdrawal of funding for projects addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) themes. The “termination” of the two exhibitions is part of a broader, deliberate campaign to suppress historically marginalized voices, dismantle DEI initiatives, and exert ideological control over cultural institutions–constituting a clear violation of First Amendment rights, as a federal court recently found, ruling that the administration’s actions amount to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

“DEI initiatives exist precisely because historically marginalized artists have been denied platforms and resources for generations. Defunding these programs is not just a budgetary decision—it is a strategic effort to erase these communities from our cultural and historical institutions,” said ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault. “As this crusade against DEI programs accelerates, it is clear that these policies are simply a pretext to target voices who stray from the dominant narrative; namely, people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, or women, and the institutions that support them. We forcefully condemn this assault on artistic freedom, the autonomy of cultural institutions, and the diversity of our artistic communities.” 

Slated to open on March 21st, “Before the Americas” featured African-American, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latino artists, exploring the enduring influence of the transatlantic slave trade and African diaspora across multiple generations of modern and contemporary artists. The exhibition, which had already been allocated funding from the Biden administration, included works by renowned artists such as Martin Puryear, who represented the U.S. at the 2019 Venice Biennale, and American painter Amy Sherald, known for her portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama. The second canceled exhibition, “Nature’s Wild With Andil Gosine,” focused on queer theory and colonial-era law across the Caribbean. The show, organized by Canadian visual artist Andil Gosine, featured multiple LGBTQ+ artists, including a centerpiece video installation by the late Lorraine O’Grady. Gosine told The Washington Post that he was informed of the decision on February 5, without further explanation.

Located in Washington, D.C., the Art Museum of the Americas exhibits modern and contemporary works from Latin America and the Caribbean. The museum is under the umbrella of the Organization of American States (OAS) which receives 50-60% of its operating budget from the U.S. federal government. This incident follows the administration’s revision of the grant criteria for national arts and humanities endowments, seeking to exert ideological control as detailed in a letter from the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), ARC, and other rights groups. Additional actions to efface the presence of marginalized groups from federally funded cultural sites have included the recent removal of the words “transgender” and “queer” from the Stonewall National Monument website.

ABOUT ARC:

Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues.

Contact: Elias Ephron, eephron@artistsatriskconnection.org