Avant-Garde Lawyers (AGL) have launched a "White Paper" urging cultural institutions and event organisers to defend the universal right to artistic expression without discrimination and to respect the rights of Russian artists. The Russia-Ukraine war has led to the exclusion of Russian artists from national and international cultural events, causing significant harm to individual artists. The White Paper provides recommendations and analysis on how institutions can avoid such damaging measures in the future, ensuring the protection of the fundamental rights of artists.

What is artistic freedom?

Something you take for granted in the Nordic countries? Yes, most people would probably say. But perhaps this is not the case at all? After all, does freedom really feel completely free when you as an artist need to please large foundations or well-established museums? How do you express yourself artistically in hyper-sensitive times? And which direction is art moving towards in a digital age?

This anthology explores artistic freedom through a wide variety of texts. All contributors are concerned with the topic, but each in their own way – ranging from the legal and practical aspects to the personal and experiential.

The report highlights the similar challenges faced by journalists and artists during emergencies, including online and offline harassment, legal prosecution, and violence. However, artists lack the same level of protection mechanisms and public attention that journalists have benefited from. The report draws from UNESCO's experience in protecting journalists and artists during conflicts and emphasises the need to apply lessons learned to cultural professionals. In addition, UNESCO will announce the recipients of the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme, which aims to enhance artistic freedom and the status of artists worldwide. The discussants for this session include Basma El Husseiny, Shahidul Alam, and Julie Trébault. Mr Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, will present the report and make the announcement.

There is an urgent need to address deeply entrenched global inequalities within the culture and creative sectors, such as regarding access to markets, funding opportunities or the mobility of artists and cultural professionals.

The German Commission for UNESCO invites you to find out about their work on “Fair Culture” - the idea to apply “Fair Trade” principles to all or selected parts of culture and the creative sector. This work is based on several years of preparation and a comprehensive study published in 2021 in cooperation with the UNESCO Chair Laval (Canada/Quebec). Based on this study, they currently push forward the reflection on “Fair Culture” through the process of drafting a “Fair Culture Charter” in 2023. They work together with many partners in this endeavor of making international cultural cooperation, cultural partnerships, and trade more equitable and sustainable, building on existing legal frameworks and commitments.

Download of the 2021 comprehensive study: Fair Culture - A Key to Sustainable Development

Further information: www.unesco.de/en/fairculture