Austrian Commission for UNESCO

• 30th September, 4pm to 6:30pm
• WUK project space, Währinger Str. 59, 1090 Vienna

A cooperation of Austrian Commission for UNESCO with kulturen in bewegung and VIDC- Global Dialogue.

Resisting Pressures: Protecting Artistic Freedom as a Human Right
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
barrier-free Location: Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
barrier-free Location: WUK project space, Währinger Str. 59, 1090 Vienna (Barrier-free access is available via entrance Severingasse. Proceed through the passageway into the inner courtyard, take the first entrance on the right, use elevator D to reach Level 0.5.)

The status of artistic freedom is a seismograph for how just, open, and equal a society is.
In times of increasing political pressure, restrictions and financial austerity, artists and their practices are often the first ones to be targeted and silenced. Across the world, artists are facing growing pressure through censorship, political interference, and intimidation, making strategies of support and resistance increasingly urgent. 

Protecting artistic freedom as a human right cannot be an individual endeavour – it is the collective responsibility of institutions, organisations, and communities. Sharing knowledge and learning from each other's practices is a concrete way to protect artistic freedom. 

Five opening statements by artists and civil society representatives from diverse international backgrounds will provide insights into artistic freedom as a human right, as well as forms of collaboration and resistance. Participants will then engage in small-group discussions, creating a space for collaborative learning and reflection.

This workshop aims to bring together artists, cultural professionals, and representatives from the human rights sector. 

The event will be held in English and conducted under the Chatham House Rule.

Opening Statements by 

• Tayo Alemi aka Authentically plastic (Kampala, Uganda): artist, DJ and producer
• Salomé Jashi (Tblisi, Georgia): documentary filmmaker; chair of Documentary Association Georgia (DOCA) 
• Klara Koštal, head of the Department Diversity of Cultural Expressions at the Austrian Commission for UNESCO 
• Miriam Mona Mukalazi, Africa Policy Programme lead at the Vienna Institute for Dialogue and Cooperation 

• Vahida Ramujkić (Belgrade, Serbia): visual artist, researcher, cultural worker; chair of Association of Fine Artists of Serbia (ULUS) 

  Moderation
  Noura Maan, managing editor at DER STANDARD and part of the foreign affairs desk

Join us afterwards for snacks and drinks. 

With financial support from the Federal Ministry of Housing, Arts, Culture, Media, and Sports.