Resources supporting cultural practitioners at risk
Organisations in the UK and beyond supporting cultural rights, mobility-justice and freedom of expression for, with and by artists, curators and cultural practitioners at risk, displaced or in exile - seeking to (re)build their international curatorial practice and networks.
UK
Art.27 Scotland
Art27 Scotland is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and takes its mission from Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right freely to participate in cultural life and to enjoy the arts”. We explore how contemporary arts, cultural practice and ideas can defend culture as a human right through great art and storytelling. We curate a multi-artform program of exhibitions, performances, publications and events that respond to themes and provocations we believe are urgent for our times e.g. migration, climate change and democracy.
art27scotland.org/
Company of Others
Company of Others is a dance theatre company based in the North East of England, led by Artistic Director and Choreographer Nadia Iftkhar. We collaborate with people who have experience of being ‘othered’ by the society we live in, to co-create dance theatre experiences which highlight and share stories of the human experience through their lens.
companyofothers.org.uk/news/
Counterpoints Arts
Counterpoints Arts is a leading national and international organisation in the field of arts, migration and cultural change. Their mission is to support and create transformative art by, with, and about migrants and refugees – so their stories shape our culture and help change how we see displacement.
counterpoints.org.uk/
You may also be interested in reading Cultural Interventions in Climate and Displacement produced by Dana Olărescu, Counterpoints Arts and British Council.
Forgan Arts Centre
Forgan Arts Centre sits on the edge of the village of Newport-on-Tay in the Tay Bridgehead Ward of North East Fife. It is a community-led arts centre delivering creative activities for the people of Fife, and beyond. Through diverse creative practices, we work with artists while listening to our communities to address individual and collective challenges that resonate locally and globally. We are a part of the local ecology providing access to creativity and a site for the exploration and understanding of the natural environment.
You may be interested in the Open Call: Artists in Residence: Ecologies of Migration
Migrants in Culture
Migrants In Culture is a migrant-led design agency. We resource organisers and artists to build more creative and powerful social movements. We move towards our collective capacity to imagine and to live without borders. https://www.migrantsinculture.com/
Migrants in Theatre (MiT)
Migrants in Theatre is a movement made up of first generation migrant theatre artists and theatre companies who joined efforts to campaign for more and better representation of UK based migrant theatre artists in British theatre. The movement comprises artists from a broad and diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and is open to migrant theatre makers in a multitude of roles, from actors, directors, set designers, playwrights, to stage managers, arts administrators and board members.
migrantsintheatre.co.uk/
You may also be interested in reading MiT’s founding document here.
Refugee Festival Scotland
Refugee Festival Scotland 2026 marks 75 years of the Refugee Convention by celebrating the creativity, resilience and talent of people and communities across the nation through this year’s Small Grants and Arts Open awardees. In 2026, the Small Grants programme is supporting 50 community groups and organisations across Scotland to deliver creative, inclusive and community-led projects. www.refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk/
Art27 Scotland is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and takes its mission from Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right freely to participate in cultural life and to enjoy the arts”. We explore how contemporary arts, cultural practice and ideas can defend culture as a human right through great art and storytelling. We curate a multi-artform program of exhibitions, performances, publications and events that respond to themes and provocations we believe are urgent for our times e.g. migration, climate change and democracy.
art27scotland.org/
Company of Others
Company of Others is a dance theatre company based in the North East of England, led by Artistic Director and Choreographer Nadia Iftkhar. We collaborate with people who have experience of being ‘othered’ by the society we live in, to co-create dance theatre experiences which highlight and share stories of the human experience through their lens.
companyofothers.org.uk/news/
Counterpoints Arts
Counterpoints Arts is a leading national and international organisation in the field of arts, migration and cultural change. Their mission is to support and create transformative art by, with, and about migrants and refugees – so their stories shape our culture and help change how we see displacement.
counterpoints.org.uk/
You may also be interested in reading Cultural Interventions in Climate and Displacement produced by Dana Olărescu, Counterpoints Arts and British Council.
Forgan Arts Centre
Forgan Arts Centre sits on the edge of the village of Newport-on-Tay in the Tay Bridgehead Ward of North East Fife. It is a community-led arts centre delivering creative activities for the people of Fife, and beyond. Through diverse creative practices, we work with artists while listening to our communities to address individual and collective challenges that resonate locally and globally. We are a part of the local ecology providing access to creativity and a site for the exploration and understanding of the natural environment.
You may be interested in the Open Call: Artists in Residence: Ecologies of Migration
Migrants in Culture
Migrants In Culture is a migrant-led design agency. We resource organisers and artists to build more creative and powerful social movements. We move towards our collective capacity to imagine and to live without borders. https://www.migrantsinculture.com/
Migrants in Theatre (MiT)
Migrants in Theatre is a movement made up of first generation migrant theatre artists and theatre companies who joined efforts to campaign for more and better representation of UK based migrant theatre artists in British theatre. The movement comprises artists from a broad and diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and is open to migrant theatre makers in a multitude of roles, from actors, directors, set designers, playwrights, to stage managers, arts administrators and board members.
migrantsintheatre.co.uk/
You may also be interested in reading MiT’s founding document here.
Refugee Festival Scotland
Refugee Festival Scotland 2026 marks 75 years of the Refugee Convention by celebrating the creativity, resilience and talent of people and communities across the nation through this year’s Small Grants and Arts Open awardees. In 2026, the Small Grants programme is supporting 50 community groups and organisations across Scotland to deliver creative, inclusive and community-led projects. www.refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk/
international
ARC - Artists at Risk Connection
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) defends the right of artistic freedom and provides practical resources for artists and cultural professionals. ARC is dedicated to safeguarding artists and cultural workers around the world. artistsatriskconnection.org/protect/
Fanak Fund
Fanak Fund was launched as an independent civil society initiative, in June 2019 by a group of professionals working to promote art and culture in Europe, the Arab-speaking world, and the wider Middle East. The Fund facilitates the mobility and creativity of artists and cultural operators living and working in this geographical zone, to enhance cultural and artistic development at the local level and to favour multilateral connections and networking. Their initiative aims for equality, transparency and sustainability and promotes the respect of human rights and cultural rights in particular.
fanakfund.org/
International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN)
ICORN is a global network of cities and regions that provides temporary protective residencies for cultural professionals who face persecution due to their work. The temporary, protective residency programme is for writers, journalists and artists who are facing persecution because of their artistic, journalistic or cultural expression, and cannot continue their work or express themselves freely in their home country or region. www.icorn.org/
Ettijahat's Zad Programme
Zad is a support framework designed to promote mobility and communication for artists from the Arab region residing in Europe. Its main objective is to develop their artistic and professional path in collaboration with their peers and across various artistic spaces and platforms. In April 2024, Ettijahat launched Zad: Miles for Connection, a programme aimed at enhancing the mobility and visibility of artists from the Arab region who have relocated to Europe. The programme aims to enrich the European artistic and cultural scene by offering a chance to expand collaborations cultural exchange and networking. Zad provides travel grants covering travel and accommodation expenses in Europe, including transportation fees to commute between cities and regions within the artist's country of residence.
ettijahat.org/page/1572
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) defends the right of artistic freedom and provides practical resources for artists and cultural professionals. ARC is dedicated to safeguarding artists and cultural workers around the world. artistsatriskconnection.org/protect/
Fanak Fund
Fanak Fund was launched as an independent civil society initiative, in June 2019 by a group of professionals working to promote art and culture in Europe, the Arab-speaking world, and the wider Middle East. The Fund facilitates the mobility and creativity of artists and cultural operators living and working in this geographical zone, to enhance cultural and artistic development at the local level and to favour multilateral connections and networking. Their initiative aims for equality, transparency and sustainability and promotes the respect of human rights and cultural rights in particular.
fanakfund.org/
International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN)
ICORN is a global network of cities and regions that provides temporary protective residencies for cultural professionals who face persecution due to their work. The temporary, protective residency programme is for writers, journalists and artists who are facing persecution because of their artistic, journalistic or cultural expression, and cannot continue their work or express themselves freely in their home country or region. www.icorn.org/
Ettijahat's Zad Programme
Zad is a support framework designed to promote mobility and communication for artists from the Arab region residing in Europe. Its main objective is to develop their artistic and professional path in collaboration with their peers and across various artistic spaces and platforms. In April 2024, Ettijahat launched Zad: Miles for Connection, a programme aimed at enhancing the mobility and visibility of artists from the Arab region who have relocated to Europe. The programme aims to enrich the European artistic and cultural scene by offering a chance to expand collaborations cultural exchange and networking. Zad provides travel grants covering travel and accommodation expenses in Europe, including transportation fees to commute between cities and regions within the artist's country of residence.
ettijahat.org/page/1572
