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.
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
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.
Nigeria
DJ Switch
Cuba
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara
China
Rahima Mahmut
Turkey
Aslı Erdoğan
Russia
Yulia Tsvetkova
Iran
Jafar Panahi
Exhibitions
The Art of Resistance:
Contemporary Art from
Russia & Belarus
Curated by Vera Shengalia
INSTAGRAM FEED
There are only a few more days left to see Evelyn Sosa’s (@evelyn._.sosa) exhibition, No Place is Far Away, at the Mahara+Co (@mahara_and_co) gallery in Miami, on view through June 6.
Informed by the question, “What object did you take with you when you emigrated?” Evelyn’s evocative photos provide a nuanced reflection on the Cuban migratory experience. Through the photo series, Evelyn dares us to reflect upon how identity transforms when territory disappears and what remains when everything else is gone.
To learn more: https://mahara-co.com/no-place-is-far-away/
The exhibition was supported by ARC and PEN International’s (@peninternational) Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship.
Photo credit: Zachary Balber (@zacharybalber)
There are only a few more days left to see Evelyn Sosa’s (@evelyn._.sosa) exhibition, No Place is Far Away, at the Mahara+Co (@mahara_and_co) gallery in Miami, on view through June 6.
Informed by the question, “What object did you take with you when you emigrated?” Evelyn’s evocative photos provide a nuanced reflection on the Cuban migratory experience. Through the photo series, Evelyn dares us to reflect upon how identity transforms when territory disappears and what remains when everything else is gone.
To learn more: https://mahara-co.com/no-place-is-far-away/
The exhibition was supported by ARC and PEN International’s (@peninternational) Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship.
Photo credit: Zachary Balber (@zacharybalber)
"People from our immediate circle began to be called in for questioning, searches, and surveillance. The anti-war art community was living in that kind of atmosphere—an atmosphere of repression." – Anastasiya Sukhareva-Morozova (@sukhareva.morozova), Russian ceramist, sculptor, photographer, political dissident, and The Art of Resistance participant.
Every other Friday, ARC is featuring an artist from our new digital exhibition, The Art of Resistance: Contemporary Art from Russia and Belarus.
This moving testament to the power of creative defiance in the face of authoritarianism brings together 13 visual artists from Russia and Belarus who have mobilized to oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine and to advocate for peace.
See Anastasiya’s powerful work, and read her story at:
https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/anastasiya-sukhareva-morozova/
#ArtistsAgainstTheWar #artivism #TheArtofResistence #UNESCO
"People from our immediate circle began to be called in for questioning, searches, and surveillance. The anti-war art community was living in that kind of atmosphere—an atmosphere of repression." – Anastasiya Sukhareva-Morozova (@sukhareva.morozova), Russian ceramist, sculptor, photographer, political dissident, and The Art of Resistance participant.
Every other Friday, ARC is featuring an artist from our new digital exhibition, The Art of Resistance: Contemporary Art from Russia and Belarus.
This moving testament to the power of creative defiance in the face of authoritarianism brings together 13 visual artists from Russia and Belarus who have mobilized to oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine and to advocate for peace.
See Anastasiya’s powerful work, and read her story at:
https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/anastasiya-sukhareva-morozova/
#ArtistsAgainstTheWar #artivism #TheArtofResistence #UNESCO
ARC condemns the Whitney Museum’s last-minute cancellation of No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom, a powerful performance mourning Palestinian lives and exploring colonial violence.
We stand with the artists and curators of the Whitney ISP, including Fadl Fakhouri (@fadlfakhouri), Noel Maghathe, Fargo Tbakhi (@youknowfargo), Natalie Diaz (@ndinn), Christina Sharpe, Brandon Shimoda (@brandon_shimoda), and Sara Nadal‑Melsió, whose voices were silenced. This act reflects a growing wave of institutional censorship across the U.S.—a trend we documented in a joint report with the Association of Art Museum Directors (@museumdirectors) and PEN America (@penamerica)
Museums must be places of dialogue, not silence. We urge the Whitney to live up to its mission of championing experimental, risk-taking art.
🔗To read the full statement: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/statement/arc-condemns-whitney-censorship-palestinian-mourning-performance/
#ArtisticFreedom #WhitneyMuseum #Censorship #ISP
ARC condemns the Whitney Museum’s last-minute cancellation of No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom, a powerful performance mourning Palestinian lives and exploring colonial violence.
We stand with the artists and curators of the Whitney ISP, including Fadl Fakhouri (@fadlfakhouri), Noel Maghathe, Fargo Tbakhi (@youknowfargo), Natalie Diaz (@ndinn), Christina Sharpe, Brandon Shimoda (@brandon_shimoda), and Sara Nadal‑Melsió, whose voices were silenced. This act reflects a growing wave of institutional censorship across the U.S.—a trend we documented in a joint report with the Association of Art Museum Directors (@museumdirectors) and PEN America (@penamerica)
Museums must be places of dialogue, not silence. We urge the Whitney to live up to its mission of championing experimental, risk-taking art.
🔗To read the full statement: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/statement/arc-condemns-whitney-censorship-palestinian-mourning-performance/
#ArtisticFreedom #WhitneyMuseum #Censorship #ISP
Celebrating this year`s #Cannes #PalmeDor award to Jafar Panahi @jafar.panahi with Bididul Productions @bididul_productions for his searing political drama "It Was Just an Accident" —a film in which five Iranians confront the man they believe tortured them—we reflect on the unyielding courage of an artist who has risked his freedom, his safety, and his voice to defend the right to create without fear.
When Panahi was unjustly imprisoned in Iran in July 2022, ARC stood in solidarity with many of our partners—advocating for his release and amplifying his voice when it was being silenced. His films continue to challenge censorship and authoritarianism with quiet, unflinching power.
🖋 Read more: 🔗https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/jafar-panahi/
Join us in recognizing this award that has become a reminder of why artistic freedom must be defended, everywhere.
#JafarPanahi #FreedomToCreate #ArtisticFreedom #Iran #Censorship #HumanRights #CinemaForJustice #Cannes2025 #ICFFR
Celebrating this year`s #Cannes #PalmeDor award to Jafar Panahi @jafar.panahi with Bididul Productions @bididul_productions for his searing political drama "It Was Just an Accident" —a film in which five Iranians confront the man they believe tortured them—we reflect on the unyielding courage of an artist who has risked his freedom, his safety, and his voice to defend the right to create without fear.
When Panahi was unjustly imprisoned in Iran in July 2022, ARC stood in solidarity with many of our partners—advocating for his release and amplifying his voice when it was being silenced. His films continue to challenge censorship and authoritarianism with quiet, unflinching power.
🖋 Read more: 🔗https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/jafar-panahi/
Join us in recognizing this award that has become a reminder of why artistic freedom must be defended, everywhere.
#JafarPanahi #FreedomToCreate #ArtisticFreedom #Iran #Censorship #HumanRights #CinemaForJustice #Cannes2025 #ICFFR
🌏 How are changes in the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) perceived across different communities and societies? What local CCS shifts are unfolding in various regions? What key actions are needed to respond to these changes, and what barriers continue to hinder progress?
🇰🇷 For answers to these questions and more, join ARC on 28 May for the panel “Navigating Global Shifts, Mapping Local Impacts” as part of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies’ 10th World Summit on Arts & Culture in Seoul, South Korea.
Held at 4:30 PM KST in the I-eum Center – Art Hall, the panel, moderated by Dr. Tomás Peters (@tomas_peters_), will feature:
🔹Manojna Yeluri (@manojnayeluri), ARC Asia Regional Representative
🔹Rima Mismar, Executive Director of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (@afac.fund)
🔹Renu Ghimire, Nepalese social activist and Program Associate at Freedom Studio (@freedom.studioo)
Together, they will reflect on the polycrisis and uncertainty facing CCS practitioners and artists, identifying strategies for resilience in times of prolonged instability.
For more information, visit: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/event/arc-2025-ifacca-world-summit-on-arts-and-culture
#IFACCA #culturalmobility #artisticfreedom
🌏 How are changes in the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) perceived across different communities and societies? What local CCS shifts are unfolding in various regions? What key actions are needed to respond to these changes, and what barriers continue to hinder progress?
🇰🇷 For answers to these questions and more, join ARC on 28 May for the panel “Navigating Global Shifts, Mapping Local Impacts” as part of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies’ 10th World Summit on Arts & Culture in Seoul, South Korea.
Held at 4:30 PM KST in the I-eum Center – Art Hall, the panel, moderated by Dr. Tomás Peters (@tomas_peters_), will feature:
🔹Manojna Yeluri (@manojnayeluri), ARC Asia Regional Representative
🔹Rima Mismar, Executive Director of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (@afac.fund)
🔹Renu Ghimire, Nepalese social activist and Program Associate at Freedom Studio (@freedom.studioo)
Together, they will reflect on the polycrisis and uncertainty facing CCS practitioners and artists, identifying strategies for resilience in times of prolonged instability.
For more information, visit: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/event/arc-2025-ifacca-world-summit-on-arts-and-culture
#IFACCA #culturalmobility #artisticfreedom
⛓🎨 ARC’s newest digital exhibition is NOW LIVE!
"The Art of Resistance: Contemporary Art from Russia and Belarus", is a stirring testament to the power of creative defiance in the face of authoritarianism.
Presented by ARC to mark the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development this Wednesday and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2005 @unesco Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, this online exhibition showcases the work of 13 contemporary Russian and Belarusian visual artists who, in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, have mobilized to oppose the war and advocate for peace.
What unites every artist featured–through both their artistic work and their corresponding interviews–is their enduring resolve, bravery, and willingness to invoke a more honest, more humane world through the action of creating.
Don’t miss this timely and moving exhibition!
https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/art-of-resistance-exhibition/
Image credits: Philippenzo, "Hypnosis".
@helenfrankenthalerfoundation @peninternational @penamerica #ArtistsAgainstTheWar #artivism #TheArtofResistence #UNESCO #2005unescoconvention #diversityofculturalexpressions
⛓🎨 ARC’s newest digital exhibition is NOW LIVE!
"The Art of Resistance: Contemporary Art from Russia and Belarus", is a stirring testament to the power of creative defiance in the face of authoritarianism.
Presented by ARC to mark the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development this Wednesday and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2005 @unesco Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, this online exhibition showcases the work of 13 contemporary Russian and Belarusian visual artists who, in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, have mobilized to oppose the war and advocate for peace.
What unites every artist featured–through both their artistic work and their corresponding interviews–is their enduring resolve, bravery, and willingness to invoke a more honest, more humane world through the action of creating.
Don’t miss this timely and moving exhibition!
https://artistsatriskconnection.org/exhibition/art-of-resistance-exhibition/
Image credits: Philippenzo, "Hypnosis".
@helenfrankenthalerfoundation @peninternational @penamerica #ArtistsAgainstTheWar #artivism #TheArtofResistence #UNESCO #2005unescoconvention #diversityofculturalexpressions
🇮🇷 “I, as a female Iranian poet, see myself as a fighter whose weapons are words.” — Mahtab Yaghma (@mahtab.yaghma)
Raised in a city known for producing celebrated poets from ancient Persian tradition to the present day, Mahtab Yaghma shared with ARC the deep admiration and inspiration she took from her classical predecessors. Given her artistic training and upbringing, Mahtab uniquely positions herself at the intersection of tradition and transformation, using her literary prowess to construct complex and refreshing prose on women’s experiences in Iran while harkening back to familiar wisdom and creative traditions.
Due to her art and activism, Mahtab was eventually forced into exile in 2020. Working between the jarring new realities of exile and nostalgia for her home, Mahtab continues to channel her poetry and digital presence to protest injustice and criticize human rights violations by the Iranian government.
ARC stands in solidarity with Mahtab, her artistry, and her fearless fight for women’s rights in Iran. Join us and learn more about her story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/mahtab-yaghma/
🇮🇷 “I, as a female Iranian poet, see myself as a fighter whose weapons are words.” — Mahtab Yaghma (@mahtab.yaghma)
Raised in a city known for producing celebrated poets from ancient Persian tradition to the present day, Mahtab Yaghma shared with ARC the deep admiration and inspiration she took from her classical predecessors. Given her artistic training and upbringing, Mahtab uniquely positions herself at the intersection of tradition and transformation, using her literary prowess to construct complex and refreshing prose on women’s experiences in Iran while harkening back to familiar wisdom and creative traditions.
Due to her art and activism, Mahtab was eventually forced into exile in 2020. Working between the jarring new realities of exile and nostalgia for her home, Mahtab continues to channel her poetry and digital presence to protest injustice and criticize human rights violations by the Iranian government.
ARC stands in solidarity with Mahtab, her artistry, and her fearless fight for women’s rights in Iran. Join us and learn more about her story: https://artistsatriskconnection.org/artist-voice/mahtab-yaghma/
Earlier this month, ARC had the pleasure of collaborating as part of PEN America’s (@penamerica) World Voices Festival (@penworldvoices).
From an inspiring mural in co-creation with ArtLords (@artlordsnet) to a screening of Dara Kell (@darakell) and Veena Rao’s documentary series The Art of Exile and a panel discussion with Rania Mamoun (@raniamamoun), Anouar Rahmani (@anouar__rahmani), and Mai Khôi (@mai.khoi), our events uplifted the power of art, calling for solidarity with artists and cultural workers worldwide.
We sincerely thank the World Voices Festival team, our speakers, and attendees for their continued efforts standing up for free expression during such turbulent times. Creativity will prevail!
Photos 1 & 3: Courtesy of ArtLords.
Photos 2 & 4: Courtesy of Beowulf Sheehan (@beowulfsheehan).
Earlier this month, ARC had the pleasure of collaborating as part of PEN America’s (@penamerica) World Voices Festival (@penworldvoices).
From an inspiring mural in co-creation with ArtLords (@artlordsnet) to a screening of Dara Kell (@darakell) and Veena Rao’s documentary series The Art of Exile and a panel discussion with Rania Mamoun (@raniamamoun), Anouar Rahmani (@anouar__rahmani), and Mai Khôi (@mai.khoi), our events uplifted the power of art, calling for solidarity with artists and cultural workers worldwide.
We sincerely thank the World Voices Festival team, our speakers, and attendees for their continued efforts standing up for free expression during such turbulent times. Creativity will prevail!
Photos 1 & 3: Courtesy of ArtLords.
Photos 2 & 4: Courtesy of Beowulf Sheehan (@beowulfsheehan).
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