For første gang hedrer Raftoprisen en kunstner. Budskapet er at kunst kan være et viktig verktøy i kampen mot autoritære regimer. Anerkjennelsen av Otero Alcántaras arbeid minner oss om at kunstneriske rettigheter er menneskerettigheter – og de må beskyttes
We are happy to announce that the Rafto Prize 2024 has been awarded to Cuban artist and activist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, in recognition of his courageous resistance to authoritarianism through art. Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara is the first Rafto Prize laureate whose activism is rooted in artistic expression. His work stands as a profound example of how art can be a vital tool in the fight for artistic rights and freedom of expression, making this year’s award especially meaningful within the arts sector.
2023 was marked by severe conflicts, such as those in Sudan and Gaza, alongside political tensions fueled by extremism and threats. It was a perilous year for anyone voicing opinions on war, politics, challenging tradition, or critiquing the powerful—artists were no exception.
- I can feel the solidarity every time I meet another artist. Its rather a lack of organised solidarity, its not formalised into anything
Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen, panellist at the Wexfo Brakout session, Navigating the Pressures: Protecting Artistic Freedom in a Complex Landscape. Photo From the facebook album of Wexfo (link)
The presumption of freedom of expression being media, rather than art. The session focused on how artistic rights and freedom can take a larger space within this rights environment. Why are there poor protection networks for artists, what can artists learn from journalists and their safety structures..
This breakout session at Wexfo 2024 was collaboratively prepared by NOPA, Mimeta, and Fritt Ord, representing the collective efforts of the event. Approximately 30 participants gathered for this seminar, which was structured as a panel discussion followed by an interactive workshop.
BULLA is a platform that promotes free creation and seeks to vindicate the role of artists who exercise cultural leadership aimed at transforming their communities. It is also a collaborative movement focused on defending artistic expression and promoting its recognition as a fundamental human right in the construction of free, plural, and democratic societies. It is a space to unleash the power of art and music in defending human rights and in empowering solutions to the social issues of their communities. BULLA is a a project from Fundación Cartel Urbano focused on the defense of artistic freedom in Latin America.
"The State of Artistic Freedom in Latin America 2020-2022," a comprehensive inquiry undertaken by the platform "BULLA," an initiative of Fundación Cartel Urbano dedicated to safeguarding artistic freedom in Latin America, represents an endeavor poised to illuminate the multifaceted challenges confronting artists within the region. Positioned at the nexus of socio-political discourse, this report meticulously scrutinizes the manifold threats posed to artistic expression by an array of actors, including state entities, drug trafficking organizations, and organized crime syndicates.
Nhimbe Trust, a dedicated advocate for cultural rights, has recently published its inaugural report focusing on artistic freedom in the Africa Region. Titled "Artistic Freedom in Focus: A Call for Change," the report meticulously examines cases of artistic freedom violations, highlighting the challenges faced by creators in the region.
Invitation to Breakout Session at World Expression Forum
We are looking forward to be present on this breakout session at the upcoming World Expression Forum, themed around the intersection of art, activism, and challenges faced by artists globally.
"Navigating the Pressures: Protecting Artistic Freedom in a Complex Landscape," will explore the intricate dynamics of artistic expression amidst censorship pressures from both authorities and civil society.
At the Salzburg Global Seminar session ‘On the Front Lines: Artists at Risk, Artists who Risk’, in March 2023, fifty artists, activists and representatives from supporting organizations hailing from forty countries created the Salzburg Statement on Supporting Artists on the Front Line.
This mapping encompasses 71 organizations, all actively involved in supporting Artists-at-Risk to varying degrees. Out of these, 20 organizations have participated by providing responses to our survey, specifically designed for this mapping initiative. Additionally, 25 supplementary interviews were conducted among the 71 organizations. The study, therefore, combines survey data, interviews, and desk studies. While acknowledging the challenges of generalizing from this diverse material, we remain hopeful that it contributes to a comprehensive overview of organizations dedicated to supporting Artists-at-Risk.
Utenriksdepartementet støtter Unesco sitt Aschberg-program. Dette har fokus på beskyttelse av kunstnerisk frihet. Rett før sommeren publiserte de Defending Creative Voices, en dyptpløyende gjennomgang av de internasjonale beskyttelsesmekanismene for kunstnere, med tittelunderteksten «Learning from the safety of journalists». Referansen til journalister er nærliggende. Begge grupper er spesielt fremhevet i menneskerettighetssystemet, og begge er avhengige av ytringsfrihet i arbeidet sitt.
Kulturledere i Arendal arbeider for at byen skal etablere seg som del av det internasjonale Friby-nettverket. I Arendal har alle kulturlederne gått sammen i Art27Arendal for å diskutere internasjonalisering av programarbeid og utvikling av et bedre internasjonalt nettverk. Arendal skal fortsatt være et fellesskap som ivaretar kunstneriske rettigheter. Dette gjelder både folks deltakelse i kunstproduksjon og kunstnernes ytringsfrihet. Slik vil de sikre at kultursektoren forblir en god pådriver og arena for demokratisering i lokalsamfunnet.
Culture Resource and Action for Hope are launching an emergency initiative to support Sudanese artists and protect cultural resources in Sudan. This initiative includes different components, such as providing support to artists and writers who have been directly affected by the war, identifying and documenting the cultural and artistic resources at risk in Sudan and exploring ways to protect them, providing workplaces and meeting spaces for Sudanese artists who had to leave Sudan recently, and training a group of cultural actors from Sudan and South Sudan on protecting cultural rights in times of war and crisis.
Opening remarks by Cato Litangen, Director of Mimeta, at World Freedom of Expression Forum (Wexfo), Workshop 23rd May
Carving out a space for free expression has always been a high-cost fight for artists under autocratic rule. Today, that space is contested even in some established western democracies. This session will present you with real life models and experiences from Africa, the Middle East and Norway of those working effortlessly to salvage a space for free expression for artists. How can we ensure more international engagement in protecting the rights of artists at risk?
It is our pleasure to invite you to the roundtable “Artists at risk: Learning from the experience of journalists”, which will be hosted by UNESCO on Thursday 4 May 2023 from 13h00 to 13h30, in the framework of IFACCA’s 9th World Summit on Arts & Culture — Space A1 (Level 4), Waterfront Congress Centre, Stockholm, Sweden. The event will feature the launch of UNESCO’s new publication “Defending Creative Voices: Artists in emergencies – Learning from the safety of journalists” and the announcement of over US$ 1 million investment in artistic freedom through the UNESCO-Aschberg programme.
The roundtable, dedicated to the safety of artists, will be opened and moderated by Mr. Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture. It will include the participation of the following panellists:
Mr Shahidul Alam, Artist, photojournalist, educator and social activist
Ms Basma El Husseiny, Founder, Action for Hope
Ms Julie Trébault, Director, Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) - PEN America
I work carefully and imperceptibly below the surface when it comes to freedom of artistic expression. Deep down I stand by those who want to break it but remind them of realities above the surface. At the same time, the water becomes shallower. This is my duty as a producer.
(Faisal Kiwewa, Bayimba, Uganda.)
Poster A3 for uploading
Poster A3 for uploading
The short version
Mimetas vision is to give GIVE PEOPLE THEIR RIGHT TO FREE CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS, created on free terms and presented by independent institutions.
Our mission is to support and protect those who want to enhance a culture by aesthetic or intellectual means.
By both our vision and mission Mimeta highlight the impact arts have on developing open societies, including the culture itself and the political spfere.
On the strategic level Mimeta is acheiving results by supporting organisations and individuals who work on behalf of the arts, to improve the sectors´ position on rights issues, in political and legal matters, on professionalism and skills, the distribution of the arts and - in the end - the sustainability of the sector.
We call them the service providers to the arts.
For more information on our priorities and strategic initiatives
Nadia Cherif was given the task of evaluating Mimeta's program for cultural sector development (2020-22. It was finalized in november 2023, and gave good input for next stage. Read here
