9th World Summit Discussion Paper

A Discussion Paper is developed, published and shared online prior to each World Summit to introduce participants, prospective delegates and the broader international community to the Summit programme theme and key concepts and issues.

This 9th edition of the World Summit Discussion Paper sparks initial thinking around some of the complex issues surrounding artistic freedom to be explored in the programme in 2023, and the ways in which we might respond.

The publication intends to situate our conversations about artistic freedom in the wider global context, as well as the more local context in which we will meet; and offer diverse personal and contextual accounts of artistic freedom, with a view to identifying challenges in and opportunities for its safeguarding.

It brings together eight cultural experts from different world regions who have contributed essays, drawing from their professional journeys and lived experiences as artists, activists, collectives, curators, educators, researchers and policymakers.

Discussion Paper Launch

Virtual, 10 May 2022

To begin these conversations, we invited Summit participants, the cultural and creative sectors and the broader international community to a virtual public launch event on 10 May 2022.

This event brought together the co-hosts of the Summit, the Swedish Arts Council and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA), and eight cultural experts from different world regions (Lead Author Sara Whyatt as well as Irene Agrivina, Basma El Husseiny, Dr Katalin Krasznahorkai, Maria Lind, Roxana Miranda Rupailaf, Letila Mitchell and Patrick Sam) who contributed essays to the Discussion Paper, drawing from their professional journeys and lived experiences as artists, activists, collectives, curators, educators, researchers and policymakers.

Video recordings of this event and timed transcriptions in English, Spanish and French are available below:

Further information on the launch programme is available here.