Freemuse’s State of Artistic Freedom 2026 report, Courage is Contagious, documents what Freemuse describes as some of the most alarming conditions facing artists and cultural workers. The report is published today and is now available online at Freemuse’s website. It will be officially launched this afternoon in Brussels at an event hosted by FERA, the Federation of European Screen Directors.
From war zones to democracies under strain, artists in 2025 faced censorship, arrest, violence, displacement, and mounting pressure to self-censor. The report shows how war, authoritarianism, religious extremism, far-right politics, and deepening polarisation are placing artistic freedom under growing pressure across the globe.
“Wars, authoritarian regimes, far-right groups, and religious fundamentalism are increasing in scope in all parts of the world, attacking and undermining human rights and the international rules-based world order. Increased polarization and extremist groups also pose greater challenges to free expression and democratic values. The work to defend artistic freedom has never been more important,” says Sverre Pedersen, Executive Director of Freemuse.
The report identifies two overlapping crises shaping artistic freedom in 2025: armed conflict, which destroys cultural life and puts artists directly in harm’s way, and democratic decline, which gives governments new legal and political tools to suppress dissent.
Artists and cultural institutions came under attack in conflict-affected countries including Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Lebanon, and Iran. At the same time, governments across multiple regions used foreign agent laws, counter-terrorism measures, blasphemy laws, morality codes, and funding restrictions to silence critical artistic voices.
The report also highlights growing censorship of artistic expression related to Palestine, alongside increased repression targeting women artists, LGBTI+ artists, and minority communities.
The report maps eight interconnected trends driving this crisis:
war and its devastating impact on artists, cultural institutions, and heritage
the use of nationalism, religion, and security rhetoric to justify censorship
the spread of foreign agent laws targeting artists and cultural organisations
the criminalisation of artistic expression through terrorism, blasphemy, obscenity, and morality laws
increasing censorship and self-censorship around Gaza and Palestine
heightened repression of women artists, LGBTI+ artists, and marginalised communities
the targeting of music, film, satire, and online artistic expression
growing pressure from non-state actors, including online campaigns, religious groups, and organised crime
“Repression of the freedom to create remains acute around the world. Yet, as our report shows, artists continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience, finding ways to resist oppression despite immense hardship and risk. Titled Courage is Contagious, the report reflects the very spirit that anchors Freemuse’s work: standing in solidarity with artists and joining them in the ongoing struggle for artistic freedom,” says Sara Whyatt, Research Director at Freemuse.
Cuts to civil society funding have weakened the ability of organisations to monitor and respond to abuses, meaning the cases documented here likely represent only part of the full picture.
Despite this, artists around the world continue to create, organise, and resist. The report highlights acts of creative resistance across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, where artists are using music, film, visual art, satire, legal action, and underground networks to challenge repression and defend free expression.
As State of Artistic Freedom 2026 makes clear, artistic freedom is fundamental to democracy and human rights.
Read the report here.