Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is committed to leveraging international mechanisms and partnerships to promote and protect artistic freedom. Through strategic engagement with the United Nations (UN), ARC amplifies the voices of at-risk artists and advocates for systemic change to address the growing threats to artistic freedom worldwide. Our efforts aim to strengthen the recognition of artistic freedom as a fundamental human right and ensure the safety and resilience of artists facing censorship, persecution, and violence.

ARC engages with key UN bodies to advance this mission. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the primary intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights, provides a platform where ARC submits reports and interventions highlighting violations against artists. In particular, ARC has worked with coalitions of local, regional, and international partners to make Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions highlighting the state’s commitment to artistic freedom and freedom of expression.  ARC also engages with UN Special Rapporteurs, independent experts appointed to monitor and report on specific human rights issues, including the Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, by providing expert contributions and testimonies. ARC is also a longstanding partner of UNESCO, contributing to research efforts and co-designing events that advance the goals of the 2005 Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Additionally, ARC utilizes closed-door mechanisms to advocate for the release and protection of artists. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), a body of independent experts, investigates cases of individuals detained arbitrarily, including artists imprisoned for their work. Similarly, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances examines cases of individuals, including artists, who have been forcibly disappeared. ARC also engages with UNESCO’s complaint procedures, which allow individuals and organizations to report violations of cultural rights and threats to artistic freedom, reinforcing the role of artists as critical voices for justice, diversity, and progress in society.

Through these mechanisms, ARC continues to champion artistic freedom on the global stage, ensuring that artists at risk receive international recognition, protection, and support.