5 May 2020
UNESCO sheds light on the current advances and challenges in the legal protection of artistic freedom, the protection of the social and economic rights of artists and cultural professionals, and the monitoring of artistic freedom.Released on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2020, this special edition of the Global Report series builds on the recommendations put forth in the chapter Promoting the freedom to imagine and create; in UNESCO's 2018 Global Report to assess whether progress has been made, to determine what efforts are still required and what new challenges have emerged.
Freedom & Creativity, produced with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, is the result of research carried out before the current health crisis.
Artistic freedom also includes the right of citizens to participate in cultural life. This is a key component of the well-being of our societies. The current crisis highlights once again, the power of art and culture to build and maintain social ties under unprecedented constraints. From spontaneous creations shared on the Internet to the many initiatives to provide free access to creations by world-renowned artists, art and culture offer an endless source of generosity and resilience.
Through this report, UNESCO continues its awareness-raising efforts to highlight freedom of artistic expression as a pillar of freedom of expression, and places artists and culture professionals at the heart of cultural policies and the development of cultural and creative industries. Another special edition of the Global Report Series dedicated to gender issues in the cultural and creative industries will be published in the coming months. These are essential steps in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in its ambition to promote decent work and build peaceful and inclusive societies where the fundamental freedoms of all citizens are protected.
Learn more here.