Art in Protest - Human Rights Foundation

About

Art in Protest is HRF’s response to the authoritarian repression of creative dissent.

Art is a powerful tool for dissent in closed societies, provoking constructive dialogue and creating space for debate beyond mainstream bodies of political discourse. Authoritarian governments around the world recognize the power of art as a conduit of change and systematically persecute, repress, or censor artists to silence political dissent.

Art in Protest seeks to elevate artists whose work is connected to their struggle for democracy and human rights. We offer dissident artists the opportunity to enhance their work through the Art in Protest Residency and provide various platforms and exhibition spaces to expand their reach. Art in Protest also brings art to HRF’s Oslo Freedom Forum conference series to raise awareness about the state of artistic freedom on a global scale.

Our Work

Exhibitions

Art in Protest hosts exhibitions showcasing dissident art in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Oslo.

Digital Gallery

Digital galleries provide a platform for dissident artists to showcase and sell their work and reach diverse audiences.

Art in Protest Residency

The Art in Protest Residency offers a one-of-kind opportunity for mentorship and perspectives on dissident artists’ work.

Our Strategy

Platform for Artists

We expand the reach of dissident artists by showcasing their work to diverse international audiences through online galleries and in-person exhibitions.

Training & Mentorship

We connect dissident artists with experts in the cultural sector and offer skills-building mentorship programs to help dissident artists enhance their work and activism.

News & Media

Media

Jun 9, 2026

Burmese artist Sai Redacted wins prize for creative dissent

At the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, Burmese artist Sai Redacted was one of the recipients of the Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent.

Media

Aug 15, 2025

An artist on the run, an exhibition censored: How China tried to silence a Thai art show

Three weeks ago, Burmese artist Sai was in Bangkok, celebrating the opening of an art exhibition he had curated with his wife at one of Thailand’s top galleries.

Media

Aug 8, 2025

Bangkok Art & Culture Centre censors works following visit from Chinese officials

The Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC) has removed and obscured several artworks and artists’ names from their current exhibition..

Media

Nov 29, 2022

‘Chinese Banksy’ hits Miami streets

An artist from China launched a five-part collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Tuesday that use the 2022 Winter Olympics as imagery to protest China’s oppression, lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 and the dismantling of democracy in Hong Kong, according to the dedicated site for the collection.

Media

Apr 15, 2022

Who Burned Down the Sculpture of Xi Jinping at a California Park?

Federal prosecutors say Weiming Chen’s ‘CCP Virus’ was destroyed by men working for China.

Media

Feb 1, 2022

Chinese Artist Wields Digital Olympic Imagery to Protest Own Country

Badiucao’s wild poster campaign focuses on country’s human rights violations

Media

Nov 28, 2021

Badiucao x Human Rights Foundation Takes Over Art Basel in Miami Beach

Chinese dissident artist Badiucao releases his artistic takes on boycotting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Media

Jun 10, 2021

Exposición digital de artistas del Movimiento San Isidro reivindica el arte como forma de resistencia

Bajo el título “Arte en resistencia”, el Centro para la Apertura y el Desarrollo de América Latina (CADAL), en conjunto con el programa Art in Protest (Arte en Protesta) de Human Rights Foundation (Fundación para los Derechos Humanos), inauguró este 3 de octubre una exposición digital que reúne obras de diversos artistas integrantes del Movimiento San Isidro (MSI) y las presenta mediante una experiencia virtual en 3D.

Events

Roskilde Festival

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Roskilde Festival Group and the Human Rights Foundation will co-host a special panel discussion, “Art as a Catalyst for Change."

New York, NY

2025

Doors to Freedom

The Human Rights Foundation and Cuban Freedom March present Doors to Freedom, an art installation that tells the stories of artists exposing authoritarian regimes.

Miami, USA

2025

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Other Programs

HRF’s AI for Individual Rights program is the world’s first to support open-source, privacy-protecting artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the hands of dissidents and expose how AI is used by autocrats as a tool of repression.

Art is a powerful tool for dissent in closed societies, provoking constructive dialogue and creating space for debate beyond mainstream bodies of political discourse. Authoritarian governments around the world recognize the power of art as a conduit of change and systematically persecute, repress, or censor artists to silence political dissent.

All governments, especially those of dictators, frequently debase, manipulate, demonetize, and surveil currencies, confiscate property, and freeze the bank accounts of people they don’t like. Dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, and nonprofit organizations in authoritarian countries face enormous obstacles just to receive donations and pay bills.

So for many years, North Korean defectors have organized efforts to smuggle outside info into North Korea on USB drives to counter Kim Jong-un’s constant propaganda.