Prepared by Freemuse in collaboration with members of AICA International
Freemuse, in close collaboration with members of AICA, is proud to announce the release of the State of Artistic Freedom 2025 report — a comprehensive, evidence-based investigation into the global threats to artists’ rights and cultural expression during 2024.
The report documents alarming patterns of censorship, persecution, and violence against artists across more than 30 countries. It reveals how artists have been silenced for speaking out against war, religion, politics, and inequality — and how, in response, many have shown extraordinary resistance and resilience.
From long-term imprisonment in Egypt and Iran, to cultural censorship in Germany and the USA, to the devastating consequences of war in Gaza and Ukraine, the report highlights how artistic freedom is under unprecedented pressure — even in democratic societies.
Key findings include:
Increasing use of blasphemy laws, foreign agent legislation, and politically motivated funding restrictions
Disproportionate targeting of women, LGBTQ+ artists, and minority voices
Intensifying self-censorship in public institutions and among artists
Global patterns of repression of satirical, feminist, and anti-war expression
Rising solidarity movements and grassroots resistance led by artists
The report is both a call to awareness and a call to action: governments, institutions, and civil society must defend artistic expression not only as a human right but as an essential part of democratic life.
READ THE FULL REPORT .