In his opening remarks UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General Ernesto Ottone thanked Sweden, SIDA, and Norway for their long-term funding of the 2005 Convention. This support strengthens artistic freedom, equality, and engagement for the creative sector globally.
Three partners from the Artistic Freedom Program, participated in the panel discussion: Kathy Rowland from ArtsEquator, Abdullah Alkafri from Ettijahat-Independent Culture, and Andra Matei from Avant-Garde Lawyers.
During the discussion, Kathy Rowland highlighted how threats against artists on social media have become more open and accepted. She also noted that more subtle forms of censorship have emerged, such as organizers cancelling performances under the pretext of double-booking for example, leading both to artists losing their platforms and to self-censorship.
Abdullah Alkafri emphasized the need for protection for artists, for example in the Middle East and North Africa. He explained how the Swedish Arts Council’s SIDA-funded Artistic Freedom Program makes a difference, for example, by enabling safe havens. However, he stressed that more countries and organizations need to contribute with long-term plans and funding.
Andra Matei informed the audience that legal frameworks, such as international agreements and conventions, to support artists at risk of prosecution are underutilized. Avant-Garde Lawyers therefore train lawyers to navigate the legal landscape to better utilize available opportunities.
The panelists emphasized that all parties must become more proactive and use existing tools, such as UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and never take artistic freedom for granted.
Furher information
The Program för Artistic Freedom
UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)