Second international donors on artistic freedom
On 23 April 2026, the Swedish Arts Council hosted the second International Donor Dialogue on Artistic Freedom.
The dialogue was held online and brought together public, private and multilateral donors, foundations and international organisations working on artistic freedom and cultural rights globally. Its purpose of the meeting was to strengthen coordination, knowledge-sharing and new forms of collaboration at a time marked by increasing threats to artistic freedom and a shrinking funding landscape.
The April meeting built on the first dialogue held in October 2025. Participants from organisations including UNESCO, The Norwegian Development Agency, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Ford Foundation, British Council, Nordic Culture Fund, MacDowell, Mercator Foundation and DOEN Foundation shared ongoing initiatives, open calls and reflections on current challenges and opportunities in the field.
Participants highlighted the importance of flexible and trust-based funding models, strengthened advocacy efforts and improved coordination between actors working on freedom of expression, cultural rights and democracy support. There was also a strong interest in exploring new financing models beyond traditional grant systems, including guarantee mechanisms and blended finance solutions for the cultural and creative sectors.
The discussions also raised the growing importance of monitoring and documentation, psychosocial support and long-term capacity development for artists and cultural actors working in contexts shaped by conflict, censorship, repression and displacement.
Participants expressed continued interest in developing the donor dialogue as a flexible platform for experience-sharing and practical coordination, including through thematic discussions, regional collaboration and increased information-sharing between meetings.
The meeting concluded with a shared emphasis that artistic freedom is not an isolated issue, but a fundamental part of democratic resilience, human rights and freedom of expression worldwide.