Pan African Network of Artistic Freedom (PANAF): talks

PANAF talks will address shared challenges faced by artists in four targeted countries,
where political control and censorship hinder artistic expression, leading to self-censorship and threats of violence and arrests. Artists often lack awareness of legal tools and rights-based strategies for defending their artistic freedom. Shrinking space for civil society exacerbates these issues. SELAM and partners aim to establish a collaborative platform for artists, policymakers, and human rights experts, providing tools, knowledge, and awareness. The project will engage with the ESCR Working Group to influence regional policy discussions, advocating for a “Declaration of Principles and Guidelines on Cultural Rights.” Hybrid symposiums will foster open dialogue, allowing artists to express themselves freely, countering censorship. The project will identify key advocacy messages, empowering artists to communicate these using creative expressions across the network and to the public, supporting the advancement of artistic freedom on both national and regional level.