African Artists at Risk: Opportunities for Temporary Shelter and Relocation

Abstract

Threats to both creativity and freedom of expression are on the rise globally, with Africa as no exception. As a result, artists, journalists and human rights defenders are seeking out shelter or safer locations in order to escape harm. However, the support systems currently in place predominantly relocate at-risk African artists to Europe and North America, which poses an additional set of social, cultural and economic challenges. This report thus attempts to understand the experiences of artists from African countries and investigates the successes and challenges of developing temporary shelter and relocation initiatives based on the continent. It is accompanied by a concise summary document.