The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are crucial to Mimeta’s vision and approach to the idea of cultural development and artistic freedom. They are precisely emphasising how Mimeta can promote democratisation and the implementation of human rights. The SDGs also influence the structures of monitoring and evaluating within programmes of Mimeta
One of the strategic discourses given much attention by our partners relates to this significant role of the arts and storytellers, in shaping our understanding of the world around us. In contemporary terminology this understanding is defined as the narratives we relate to. For our partners the possible shaping of changes in these narratives is a primary motivation for their work, according to a survey Mimeta did among partners in 2022.
The former partner of Mimeta, Culture and Development East Africa (CDEA,) and the Tanzania Artists Rights Organization (TARO) have released a report looking at critical aspects affecting artists and the creative landscape in the country.
The report was part of the Sanaa Rights project supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dar Es Salaam and aimed to bolster the policy and legislative frameworks surrounding the arts sector. The project focused on mapping, reviewing, and providing recommendations for policies and laws pertinent to artistic expression. It also includes policy and legislative roundtables, as well as stakeholder dialogues to engage diverse perspectives within the artistic community and beyond.
The report concludes on challenges on issues as cultural protectionism, politcal interference, lack of harmonization of laws and regulations and un-professionalism in the sector. The art and culture sector is yet to be considered as a development sector, it states.
The recommendation for civil society organisations is to “advocate for the separation of the function of artist federations and associations from the government, so that they can independently enhance their voice and urgency on artistic freedom”.
See the report here!
Our partners network building is many-faceted. They serve professionalism in a field. They are extensive alumina networks based on participation in capacity building programs within the sector. They are kept together by a common interest in upholding an arts sector despite migration and re-location from a broken homeland. They are served by diaspora-based entities that works to uphold and foster critical voices at home ground. They are part of international alliances for the protection of artist at risk. As examples. A new tendency is the focus from the arts and culture sector to engage in cross-sectorial networks, and they are organizing locally, regionally and on an international level, implying a shift from policy and advocacy networks to socially engaged networks where purposes are within the field of (social and political) change.
Bayimba is calling on artists to submit applications to perform at the 16th edition of the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts on Lunkulu Island, Uganda, from 11th to 15th September 2024.
The Bayimba Festival presents a multidisciplinary programme of artists from around the world in music, dance, film, fashion, photography, storytelling, theatre and visual arts.
The line-up of confirmed artists will be announced on the 20th of August.
Preference is given to:
Artists with unique artistic identity and ready production.
Women artists or groups led by women.
Young, new and budding talents.
Production content or exhibitions that are to be presented live.
For more information see here!
Throughout 2023, Mimeta provided essential support to nine key partners across Middle east and Africa, enabling them to conduct impactful cultural and artistic programs. Through financial support and capacity-building initiatives, these partners extended support to 545 organizations, strengthening their ability to contribute to the cultural landscape. Additionally, dedicated efforts were made to safeguard 280 artists facing risks, offering them protection, and ensuring their freedom to express their artistry. Training and capacity-building programs benefited 1,575 professionals, enhancing their skills and contributing to the development of the cultural sector. Events organized by our partners attracted 133,775 attendees, highlighting the widespread public engagement and the vibrant cultural life fostered by these initiatives.
Action for Hope Introduces an In-depth Training Guide and we as Mimeta are very pleased to share. It is a comprehensive training program aimed at enhancing the capacities of cultural managers operating within complex socio-political environments.
- 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.
Tuesday, April 9
Speaking section: 4:30 - 6:00 pm EST
Performance and Reception: 6:00 - 8:00 pm EST
United Nations Headquarters
405 E 45th Street
New York, NY 10017
Posted
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.
Mimeta this week launched the Sector Collective Program Organization aimed at fostering collaboration among multiple organizations and sponsors to address shared challenges and tasks within the cultural rights sector.
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.
Through narrative transformation, our partners aim to not only captivate hearts and minds but to drive tangible shifts in behaviors and policies, contributing to a more positive and equitable world. At Mimeta, we recognize the profound influence that narratives wield in shaping perceptions, behaviors, and policies across diverse societal sectors. Our belief is rooted in the understanding that the creative sector, represented by our partners, with its expertise in storytelling, plays a pivotal role in catalyzing positive change.
With acceptance of higher tolerances for threats in the process of pursuing intended outcomes, comes implicit expectations on increasing the understanding of why the goals were or were not reached. Another such expectation is that when working in these complex environments, one may also seek a large degree of innovation in order to reach the defined goals.
Norad's opportunity to directly engage in the administration of Norway's human rights efforts opens up new avenues. The director of Norad stated at last year's World Expression Forum in Lillehammer that they only support freedom of expression environments in the media sector working on themes related to Norad's other initiatives. Support for freedom of expression can now be on clear terms. The work for cultural rights will also be managed by Norad from August onwards. Not as in the old days, to change a narrative about, for example, gender equality through a production of Ibsen's "A Doll's House" in Mali, but to support those fighting for a society where artistic expressions are protected, and participation in artistic production is possible.
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.
