The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launches a call open to governments and public institutions, as well as civil society organizations, to support initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting the status of the artist and artistic freedom.

Context

As reaffirmed by the Outcome Document of the MONDIACULT 2025 World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are a fundamental driver of inclusive and sustainable economic development. They contribute to 3.39% of global GDP and represent 3.55% of total employment, driving innovation and shaping the future of societies.

Yet, at the heart of the CCIs, artists and cultural professionals worldwide very often face precarious working conditions. Many struggle to gain recognition of their status as professionals and to secure fair remuneration, social protection, and freedom of movement. In absence of supportive legal and policy frameworks, their ability to earn a stable living from their creative work remains fragile. The accelerating digital transformation adds new layers of complexity, most notably in connection to the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI). These emerging technologies present both opportunities and challenges. Meanwhile, threats and attacks against freedom of artistic expression persist around the world, which in turn contribute to self-censorship among artists and cultural professionals. Those affected by emergency situations are confronted with compounded risks, while access to protection and support remains limited. Deep-set imbalances in cultural exchanges also hinder mobility and access to global markets, particularly for artists from the Global South.

In this context, UNESCO is launching a call for projects under the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals, in line with the 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist and the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Generously supported by Norway and reconceptualized in 2021 in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme contributes to address structural vulnerabilities and build resilience among artists and cultural professionals in times of uncertainty and crises.

Objectives

This call for projects aims to support government and civil society-led initiatives that protect and promote the status of the artist and artistic freedom in its broad sense, as recognised by UNESCO – that is, encompassing a bundle of rights protected under international law, including:

• The right to create without censorship or intimidation

• The right to have artistic work supported, distributed, and remunerated

• Artists’ right to freedom of movement

• Artists’ right to freedom of association

• The protection of the social and economic rights of artists

• Everyone’s right to participate in cultural life

To advance these rights, the call for projects offers two tracks:

TRACK 1 - FOR GOVERNMENTS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS: Technical assistance to revise or design laws, regulations, policies and measures that promote and protect the status of the artist and artistic freedom.

TRACK 2 - FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS: Financial assistance for innovative projects that advance the status of the artist and artistic freedom, at the local, national, regional or international level. These may encompass, for example, capacity building, advocacy, monitoring and research, etc.

To find out more about each of the two tracks, including the eligibility criteria, please read the call for projects document carefully.

Application and selection process

To submit a project proposal, applicants should:

1. Carefully read the call for projects to understand its terms

2. Download the electronic application form corresponding to the applicant’s category (government/public institutions or civil society organizations). The forms are downloadable at the bottom of this page. If you encounter difficulties in downloading the electronic application form, please contact the UNESCO Secretariat at the following address: aschberg@unesco.org

3. Fill out the application form in English OR in French.

4. Attach all required supporting documents

5. Sign and date the application form.

6. Submit the application by email to aschberg@unesco.org. All applicants will receive confirmation of receipt.

An independent panel of experts will evaluate applications and make recommendations to UNESCO. Final decisions will be based on compliance with the eligibility and selection criteria outlined in the call document.