Key findings on the current state of artistic freedom in Asia

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Dear Friend,

The atmosphere for artists across South, Southeast, and East Asia is increasingly hostile, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to pose a serious threat to artistic freedom and artists' ability to work and speak out.

That's why today, PEN America's Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) ([link removed]) , in partnership with the Mekong Cultural Hub (MCH) ([link removed]) and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM ASIA) ([link removed]) , has released Arresting Art: Repression, Censorship, and Artistic Freedom in Asia ([link removed]) , which compiles several key findings from a closed virtual workshop convened in December 2020 and examines the brewing censorship crisis and the current state of artistic freedom in Asia.
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In addition to exploring topics such as the unique challenges facing artists at risk in Asia and the significance of art in social justice movements, Arresting Art features personal insights from numerous artists and cultural defenders in the region—including a theatre arts practitioner from Thailand, an activist from the Philippines, a curator from Singapore, and more—and includes recommendations such as the need to focus on building a sustainable protection network in the region and the importance of strengthening legal aid and emergency measures.
READ ARRESTING ART NOW ([link removed])
“As an artist, it is your duty to resist injustice and repression through artistic expression. What is art if the freedom of artistic expression is lost? Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong. Fight it with art, because art will always prevail.”
– Kacey Wong, Hong Kong-based artist and activist

Stay tuned for a limited run podcast from ARC offering an intimate view into the challenges that artists and cultural defenders are currently facing in the region, including censorship, surveillance, and digital and in-person harassment.

We hope you’ll read Arresting Art, share our findings with your communities, and join us in calling for solidarity and a safer, more equitable environment for artists both in Asia and around the globe, free of censorship and harassment. ([link removed])
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Julie Trebault
Director, Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)
PEN America

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Manojna Yeluri
ARC Asia Regional Representative
PEN America

This publication would not have been possible without the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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