ARC – Artists at Risk Connection

ARC - Artists at Risk Connection is an international organization dedicated to safeguarding artistic freedom and protecting artists and cultural workers at risk. Founded in 2017, ARC supports individuals targeted for their artistic expression, identity, or civic engagement, ensuring they are able to continue creating safely and freely.

Since its inception, ARC has supported more than 2,300 artists and cultural workers across 85 countries through direct, tailored assistance. This includes emergency support, resilience grants, safety training, technical guidance, and individualized risk assessment through its "Safety Guide for Artists." ARC also connects at-risk artists to a global network of more than 400 partner organizations providing emergency funding, fellowships, legal services, relocation support, and other critical resources. Its protection work is grounded in sustained collaboration with human rights and cultural institutions worldwide, helping artists stabilize and rebuild sustainable creative lives.

To strengthen systemic protections for artistic freedom, particularly in contexts of crisis, conflict, and democratic backsliding, ARC advances coordinated advocacy and policy engagement. Drawing on field-based casework and regional expertise, ARC ensures that the lived realities of at-risk artists inform national, regional, and international policy discussions. It monitors and documents violations of artistic freedom, identifies emerging trends and structural gaps, and translates this evidence into policy briefs, technical guidance, and actionable recommendations for cultural authorities and decision-makers.

Complementing these efforts, ARC leads public engagement and agenda-setting initiatives that elevate artistic freedom within global discourse. Through convenings, publications, editorial initiatives, and cultural programming, ARC amplifies the voices of at-risk artists and mobilizes sustained action in defense of artistic freedom worldwide.