Sam Brakarsh

Co-Chair

Sam Brakarsh serves as Africa Regional Representative for ARC, where he leads the Censorship Reform Program, advancing artistic freedom legislation across 11 countries. In 2026, he co-authored the African Union flagship resolution on the promotion and protection of artistic freedom which called for the development of a model law. He has chaired the Pan African Network on Artistic Freedom (PANAF) Summit (2025, 2026) and cofounded the Chikukwa Research Trust and Culture Centre in Zimbabwe. His broader cultural advocacy includes developing a residency network for artists at risk with ResArtis International, advising the Perelman Arts Centre’s Democracy Cycle Awards, contributing to the New York Federal Reserve’s Social Prescribing Design Team, and serving on the board of Savanna Arts Trust. Sam brings experience in global health, having worked with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to strengthen community health systems across Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, as a Theatre of the Oppressed practitioner, he has led programs across four continents, using participatory theatre to shift social norms, networks, and policy.