International oganizations
Organizations offering support to artists at risk internationally
International organizations working to support artists across borders work in a number of ways: coordinating connections and enhancing collaboration between global and local initiatives, as well as providing emergency support and legal assistance. These organizations also monitor violations of artistic freedom and advocate in support of free expression. The list below features organizations grouped under the categories they are most active in, although most of them work in more than one category.
Organizations offering support to artists at risk internationally
International organizations working to support artists across borders work in a number of ways: coordinating connections and enhancing collaboration between global and local initiatives, as well as providing emergency support and legal assistance. These organizations also monitor violations of artistic freedom and advocate in support of free expression. The list below features organizations grouped under the categories they are most active in, although most of them work in more than one category.
Coordinating connections and supporting collaboration in the field
Safe Havens Freedom Talks (SH|FT) is a non-profit organization based in Sweden, dedicated to strengthening global networks in the field of artistic freedom. The SH|FT annual conference is a platform for the sector where all kinds of actors can connect and collaborate.
International Freedom of Expression Exchange is a network of organizations promoting freedom of expression through campaigning and advocacy work on a global scale. This includes producing annual reports focused on freedom of expression. The network also provides a directory of support opportunities in several countries which can assist those at risk.
The Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), based in the USA, aims to be a central coordinator for artists at risk, providing referrals and connecting artists with an appropriate organization which can support their particular needs. ARC maintains an up-to-date database of organizations, especially regional and local, that offer support to artists at risk.
Emergency support to artists
Some notable international organizations providing emergency support:
The Artists at Risk Connection, offers direct assistance, having established an emergency fund in 2022, which offers artists at risk emergency and resilience grants.
Front Line Defenders is an international human rights organization, based in Dublin, with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk (HRDs). They offer international advocacy on behalf of human rights defenders at risk, including emergency support for those in immediate danger and grants and support for practical security needs, including temporary relocation.
The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk is a network organization registered in the Netherlands working with artists at risk, specifically filmmakers. Their work mainly focuses on advocacy and campaigning, and mainly on jailed filmmakers. They also offer emergency funds for filmmakers at risk.
PEN International is a registered charity which works to protect, shelter and resettle writers at risk. This includes international campaigns, monitoring, direct assistance to writers at risk, research & reports, and advocacy. PEN consists of 147 autonomous, also financially, centers across 100 countries which work in their respective regions, networked from London and PEN International.
A number of Human Rights organizations, as detailed in Mimeta’s Resources for Safeguarding Artists Report, also provide emergency support and assistance to artists at risk, generally when these artists are also human rights activists.
Legal assistance
Article 19 is an international organization registered in England, working for free expression in general, including artistic expression. It works through advocacy and legally to push back at governmental and international attempts at limiting free expression.
Avant-Garde Lawyers, headquartered in France, is an international legal organization that works with local experts to ensure pro-bono specialized legal assistance to artists at risk. The work addresses different legal challenges, including immigration and relocation, copyright and defamation.
The Artistic Freedom Initiative, headquartered in the USA, focuses on assisting and supporting artists at risk on a global scale. AFI’s main focus is on providing legal support. This includes immigration representation in the United States as well. Their work also extends beyond obtaining legal status as they directly work with relocation efforts and support the specific artist settling in their new environment. The AFI also offers a residency program for up to two years in cooperation with a coalition of organizations. AFI has established a network of pro bono attorneys able to provide immigration representation to at-risk artists wishing to relocate to the United States.
Monitoring and general advocacy
Through their project, ‘Artistic Freedom Monitor’, The Artistic Freedom Initiative seeks to monitor and report on rights violations. They also publish reports and analyses.
Freemuse is an independent international NGO, headquartered in Norway. While previously Freemuse worked to initiate and support local networks of artists and cultural workers, the organization currently focuses on documenting violations of artistic freedom in an annual report.
Index on Censorship is a non-profit organization based in the UK. It monitors and campaigns for free expression worldwide.
PEN International is a registered charity which works to protect, shelter and resettle writers at risk. It also monitors violations of artistic freedom. PEN consists of 147 autonomous, also financially, centers across 100 countries which work in their respective regions, networked from London and PEN International.
There are also international agencies, connected to the United Nations and the European Council, which also actively monitor artistic freedom and commit to upholding it.
Coordinating connections and supporting collaboration in the field
Safe Havens Freedom Talks (SH|FT) is a non-profit organization based in Sweden, dedicated to strengthening global networks in the field of artistic freedom. The SH|FT annual conference is a platform for the sector where all kinds of actors can connect and collaborate.
International Freedom of Expression Exchange is a network of organizations promoting freedom of expression through campaigning and advocacy work on a global scale. This includes producing annual reports focused on freedom of expression. The network also provides a directory of support opportunities in several countries which can assist those at risk.
The Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), based in the USA, aims to be a central coordinator for artists at risk, providing referrals and connecting artists with an appropriate organization which can support their particular needs. ARC maintains an up-to-date database of organizations, especially regional and local, that offer support to artists at risk.
Emergency support to artists
Some notable international organizations providing emergency support:
The Artists at Risk Connection, offers direct assistance, having established an emergency fund in 2022, which offers artists at risk emergency and resilience grants.
Front Line Defenders is an international human rights organization, based in Dublin, with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk (HRDs). They offer international advocacy on behalf of human rights defenders at risk, including emergency support for those in immediate danger and grants and support for practical security needs, including temporary relocation.
The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk is a network organization registered in the Netherlands working with artists at risk, specifically filmmakers. Their work mainly focuses on advocacy and campaigning, and mainly on jailed filmmakers. They also offer emergency funds for filmmakers at risk.
PEN International is a registered charity which works to protect, shelter and resettle writers at risk. This includes international campaigns, monitoring, direct assistance to writers at risk, research & reports, and advocacy. PEN consists of 147 autonomous, also financially, centers across 100 countries which work in their respective regions, networked from London and PEN International.
A number of Human Rights organizations, as detailed in Mimeta’s Resources for Safeguarding Artists Report, also provide emergency support and assistance to artists at risk, generally when these artists are also human rights activists.
Legal assistance
Article 19 is an international organization registered in England, working for free expression in general, including artistic expression. It works through advocacy and legally to push back at governmental and international attempts at limiting free expression.
Avant-Garde Lawyers, headquartered in France, is an international legal organization that works with local experts to ensure pro-bono specialized legal assistance to artists at risk. The work addresses different legal challenges, including immigration and relocation, copyright and defamation.
The Artistic Freedom Initiative, headquartered in the USA, focuses on assisting and supporting artists at risk on a global scale. AFI’s main focus is on providing legal support. This includes immigration representation in the United States as well. Their work also extends beyond obtaining legal status as they directly work with relocation efforts and support the specific artist settling in their new environment. The AFI also offers a residency program for up to two years in cooperation with a coalition of organizations. AFI has established a network of pro bono attorneys able to provide immigration representation to at-risk artists wishing to relocate to the United States.
Monitoring and general advocacy
Through their project, ‘Artistic Freedom Monitor’, The Artistic Freedom Initiative seeks to monitor and report on rights violations. They also publish reports and analyses.
Freemuse is an independent international NGO, headquartered in Norway. While previously Freemuse worked to initiate and support local networks of artists and cultural workers, the organization currently focuses on documenting violations of artistic freedom in an annual report.
Index on Censorship is a non-profit organization based in the UK. It monitors and campaigns for free expression worldwide.
PEN International is a registered charity which works to protect, shelter and resettle writers at risk. It also monitors violations of artistic freedom. PEN consists of 147 autonomous, also financially, centers across 100 countries which work in their respective regions, networked from London and PEN International.
There are also international agencies, connected to the United Nations and the European Council, which also actively monitor artistic freedom and commit to upholding it.
