Artist stories
Stories of artists at risk from around the world who have received support from ARC.
CloseGuinea - Singer
Elie KamanoIn his two decades on the front lines of Guinea’s pro-democracy movement, Elie Kamano—a reggae singer, activist, and now politician—has been arrested six times and spent 150 days in jail.
Guatemala - Musician
Rebeca LaneOver the last decade, Guatemalan musician and activist Rebeca Lane has educated a generation of women across Latin America about feminism, activism, and reclaiming their place in a patriarchal society.
United States - Writer
Dashka SlaterIn 2017, American author Dashka Slater published a book about an agender teen from Oakland whose skirt was set on fire by another teenager on a bus ride. Four years later, in the midst of a national wave of book bans, Slater beganreceiving a flood of “desperate pleas” from kids, parents, and librarians as her book was quietly removed from classroom shelves and libraries around the country.
Spain - Graffiti Artist
Javier Serrano Guerra —Boa MisturaSpanish street artist Javier Serrano Guerra (otherwise known as Boa Mistura)
- Illustrator
Yacunã TuxáYucanã Tuxá says she became an artist and activist because of a series of “small explosions” that cemented a burning desire to advocate for her indigenous Tuxá community—their rights, their stories, and their enduring presence despite centuries of colonialism, racism, and erasure.
Chad - Dancer
Taigué AhmedTaigué Ahmed–a world-renowned choreographer, dancer, and cultural activist from Chad–had a realization that would change his life and his work: Movement could be a salvation, a remedy for even the most enduring of traumas.
Hong Kong - Playwright
Franki C.Franki Cheung, born in Hong Kong, is a Taiwan-based playwright and interdisciplinary artist whose creative work lies at the intersection of theatre, performance, and activism.
Nigeria - Musician, Singer
DJ SwitchNigerian performing artist, disc jockey, and activist DJ Switch played a prominent role during the 2020 #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.
United States - Visual Artist
Dread ScottDread Scott makes revolutionary art to propel history forward. He first received national attention in 1989 when his art became the center of controversy over its transgressive use of the American flag while he was a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
India - Filmmaker
Leena ManimekalaiLeena Manimekalai is an Indian filmmaker, poet and an actor. Her works include five published poetry anthologies and several films in genres, documentary, fiction and experimental poem films.
Zimbabwe - Director, Performer
Daniel MaposaShort biography of Daniel Maposa followed by interview conducted with ARC
Cuba - Multidisciplinary
Luis Manuel Otero AlcántaraCuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara uses protest and dissent as central tenets to his practice as an artist.
Sudan - Cartoonist
Osman ObaidOsman Obaid's cartoons are employed as a means to shed light on oppression and hold those accountable in Sudan and the world.
Russia - Director, Playwright, Poet
Zhenya BerkovichRussian theatre director, playwright, and poet Zhenya Berkovich uses art to support freedom of artistic expression, those who remain in Russia, and those who were forced to emigrate.
