Art Under Threat: Freemuse’s 2025 Report is Out

The Freemuse’s State of Artistic Freedom 2025 is a critical assessment of global challenges to artistic expression in 2024. Launched on 2 May in Kristiansand, Norway, during Democracy Week, the report underscores escalating threats to creative freedom amid rising geopolitical tensions and authoritarian measures13.

Key Findings from the Report

  • Global Crackdowns: Artists faced intensified repression in Iran, Türkiye, China, and conflict zones like Gaza, with censorship, arrests, and institutional coercion becoming widespread12.

  • Self-Censorship: Even in democratic societies, fear of retaliation-particularly regarding politically sensitive topics like the Gaza conflict-led artists to silence their own voices15.

  • Legal Weaponization: “Foreign agent” laws and anti-terror legislation were increasingly used to target dissenting artists, especially those from marginalized communities15.

  • Criminal Violence: Musicians and performers in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa faced heightened risks from organized crime15.

Sverre Pedersen, Executive Director, emphasized: “
Artistic freedom is essential for democracy. Culture must be free, driven by passion-not political agendas”13.

Sara Whyatt, Research Director, highlighted artists’ resilience:
“Art is the opposite of war… [they] create while the world around them is destroyed”1.

Regional Highlights

  • Western Europe: Germany and the U.S. saw censorship of Gaza-related art, while anti-terror laws restricted artistic mobility2.

  • Eastern Europe: “Foreign agent” laws proliferated, mirroring Russian-inspired suppression tactics2.

  • Poland and Syria: Post-election Poland showed tentative improvements, while Syria’s unstable transition left artists cautious2.

Collaborative Advocacy
Following the report launch, Freemuse convened a workshop in Agder with artists, academics, and rights advocates to strategize on protecting creative freedom under international frameworks1.

Call to Action
Artistic freedom is not a privilege-it is a necessity. Download the full report here to explore actionable recommendations and join global efforts to defend creative expression.

Posted
AuthorLitangen
CategoriesCensorship in Arts, Artistic Rights
TagsFreemuse, State of Artistic Freedom 2025