Protecting cultural rights defenders

Culture Resource’s Stand for Art program participated in a workshop organized by MIMETA and IRIS under the title “Landscapes of protection for artists at risk”, which was a parallel event to the WEXFO, the first World Expression Forum organized in Lillehammer in Norway on 30-31 May 2022. The workshop brought together a number of major stakeholders involved in artists protection including the International Cities of Refuge (ICORN), PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), and the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk. It was facilitated by Cato Litangen, Executive Director of MIMETA, and joined by Peter Noorlander, the author of “Strengthening Safety and Security Resources for Visual Storytellers and Journalists” report with opening remarks from Signe Ihlen Tønsberg, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The participants shared perspectives on the risks artists are facing in different contexts and what protection initiatives are trying to do individually and collaboratively to strengthen the landscapes of protection. Multiple challenges were identified to be hindering protection work including the limited resources available to protect cultural rights defenders in an increasingly complex landscape of risk globally and within the Arab region.
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Many thanks to Culture Resource for this report from our event. From our view, it is needed that regional organizations, like Culture Resource and field initiatives like The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk, are teaming up with PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) and the International Cities of Refuge (ICORN). The conditions for artists are harsher than ever. Cooperation, coordination, more and more long term funding for providing assistance to artists at risk are matters that need our attention, according to researcher Peter Noorlander.