Whitney Museum Undermines Artistic Freedom with ISP Suspension and Associate Director Termination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 June 2025

(NEW YORK) – Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is deeply troubled to learn of the seemingly unjustified firing of Sara Nadal-Melsió, Associate Director of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s Independent Study Program (ISP), and the concurrent suspension of the entire ISP program for 2025-2026 academic year. This alarming development follows the summary cancellation of an ISP performance event which approached Palestinian mourning and resistance. Firsthand accounts and other records provided to ARC strongly suggest that the firing of Nadal-Melsió and the suspension of the wider program are likely retaliatory acts by the Whitney Museum in response to a controversial introduction the museum found objectionable at an earlier performance. We call on the museum to immediately reinstate the ISP and commission an independent investigation into the termination of its associate director, examining as well its broader implications for the museum’s stated commitment to artistic freedom.

On June 2, ISP Associate Director Sara Nadal-Melsió received notice from Whitney Museum administration that she was terminated, effective immediately, after comments she made regarding the cancellation of No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom: Mourning, Militancy, and Performance; a work that invited artists and audiences to engage in public mourning for Palestinians and reflect on colonial violence and global resistance. ARC roundly condemned this censorial decision in a recent statement, which Nadal-Melsió also provided comment for. At the same time as Nadal-Melsió’s dismissal, Whitney Director Scott Rothkopf sent an email to certain ISP alumni, which ARC has received a copy of, reporting that the program would be “paused” for the next academic year, citing a “leadership gap” and the need to “come together to assess the ISP’s structure and vision.” That “leadership gap” was a result of the Museum moving the former Director to a “Director-at-Large,” designed to terminate in June, which coincided with the abrupt termination of the Associate Director. 

Citing the self-imposed lack of leadership at the ISP and alluding in vague terms to the uproar over the performance cancellation, Rothkopf  wrote that “recent developments…[underscore] the need to further consider the nature of the relationship between the program and the Museum of which it is a part,” a statement which places into question the ISP’s continued autonomy if and when it is restored. 

“The Whitney’s decision to abruptly terminate Sara Nadal-Melsió and suspend the entire Independent Study Program is an alarming and disappointing development which further undermines principles of artistic freedom and open dialogue,” said ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault. “We see this decision as a clear act of retaliation against Nadal Melsió and the ISP curators and students for their criticism of the museum direction, and moreover, as yet another punitive gesture from the Whitney regarding No Aesthetic Outside My Freedom. The museum has clearly fallen short of the inclusivity and critical inquiry principles that it purports to defend. Artists and curators must be free to speak truthfully about the realities of violence, colonialism, and loss, and to engage in open criticism of institutions.”

“After sending my statement to the Whitney’s upper management, I requested a meeting on May 20. I wrote: “In the spirit of dialogue, transparency, and my deep commitment to the values of the ISP, I am sending the statement I posted yesterday. I waited for all three cohorts (curatorial, critical, and studio) to respond on their own first. They all have my full and unwavering support. I am proud of what we have accomplished as a community.” After receiving no response, I sent a second email on May 27 insisting on a meeting “I would like to meet with all of you as soon as possible to discuss next steps. It is critical that we have an open and frank conversation about the future of the program and its relationship to the museum.” When I finally heard back I was called into the Deputy Director’s office on June 2 at which point the Whitney summarily terminated my employment. That day, my Whitney accounts were locked and I lost all access to the ISP facilities.”

Prior to her termination, Nadal-Melsió had noted that the cancellation follows an unprecedented pattern of heightened surveillance directed at the ISP, raising further alarm about institutional pressures and censorship. Founded in 1968, the ISP is a prestigious, independent study program established by the Whitney that has historically been at the forefront of changing social currents and protest movements in the U.S. Through their art, its alumni have vocally protested against the Vietnam War, the Kent State Massacre, and the federal government’s indifference towards HIV/AIDS victims. 

“The museum does not fear the ISP—at least not what it has, for the last thirty years, been. They fear what the ISP could become should it fulfill the promises of its history, and should it continue under the leadership of people like Sara, who are committed to taking risks, and to producing real political solidarity in art and culture,” said Sarah Richter, a 2023-24 ISP participant.

“Sara’s teaching has been one of the precious gifts of this program. She has been an incredible mentor to those of us in critical studies, and has been deeply engaged with the work of all three cohorts. She has also supported our autonomy in our collective responses to the Whitney Museum’s censorship of Palestinian artists,” said Joanna Evans, a 2024-25 ISP participant, in a statement to ARC.

This incident reflects a broader and growing pattern of censorship against pro-Palestinian speech and other marginalized and critical voices in cultural and academic sectors across the country. These trends were documented in The Censorship Horizon: A Survey of Art Museum Directors, a joint publication by ARC, the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), and PEN America. The report, launched in January 2025, outlines how museums across the U.S. are facing rising pressures that result in the suppression of political art and marginalized narratives. A mission statement on the ISP website refers to the program as “an experimental study community dedicated to fostering critical thinking, cross-disciplinary scholarship and writing, and multimedia artistic practices,” which “cultivates a rigorous intellectual environment where participants are encouraged to engage deeply with contemporary issues through extended conversation and collaboration.”

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.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Julie Trébault
Executive Director
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)
+1 646.860.5446