ArtsLink Assembly

ArtsLink Assembly 2025: Defending Each Other is a national gathering focused on supporting artists at risk directly impacted by war, persecution, or crisis. This two-day event brings together artists, artist resettlement organizations, arts support networks, funders, and researchers to share their experiences and perspectives and develop with the Assembly participants strategies for resilience and a supportive cultural infrastructure for artists and cultural workers in the United States.

The Assembly features:

• Artists and community leaders sharing experiences and perspectives
• Presentation of new research on artists’ experiences, provision and policy in the European Union and United States
• Sharing of sector-specific working groups proposals for building support, resilience, and solidarity
• Peer-to-peer networking, issue-led conversations discussions, building community
• A live concert
• A DJ set celebrating cultural resilience by Sabina Fattakh from Kazakhstan

As global crises displace more artists than ever, United States cities and nonprofit organizations are stepping up to provide refuge and possibility. ArtsLink Assembly 2025 is a vital platform for building resilience, advancing collaboration, shaping policy, and supporting artists to build their professional lives and creatively contribute to the nation’s cultural diversity.

Visit the Artslink Assembly 2025: Defending Each Other page for more information.

Morning Sessions

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. GMT (London, UTC -0) / 16:00 -19:00 CET (Paris, UTC +1) / 17:00 - 20:00 EEST (Bucharest, UTC +2)

Local time checker

Welcome to Lenapehoking
Welcome/Context

Mia Yoo, LaMaMa
Ashley Tucker, Artistic Freedom Initiative
Simon Dove, CEC ArtsLink

Defending the Land

Emily Johnson, Independent artist

Defending the Artist

Mai Khôi, Independent artist

Defending Civil Society

Ravi Ragbir, New Sanctuary Coalition

Defending the Rule of Law

Ashley Tucker, Artistic Freedom Initiative

Defending Solidarity

Elizabeth Larison, National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and Carin Kuoni, Vera List Center

Defending Mental Health

Dr. Nisha Sajnani, New York University and Campfire Project

Defending Oneself

Rachel Switlick, Independent self defense instructor, dance artist, fighter, and academic

Defending Artists

Julie Trébault, Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) & Achiro Olwoch // ACN

Artist's Voice

Diana Berg, ArtsLink International Fellow 2025 (Ukraine)

Defending Food Diversity

Wissam Kahi, Eat Offbeat

Afternoon Sessions 

2:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 7:30 p.m. - 11  p.m. GMT (London, UTC -0) / 20:30 - 00:00 CET (Paris, UTC +1) / 21:00 - 01:00 EEST (Bucharest, UTC +2)

Local Time Checker

Artist's Voice

Diana Rakhmanova, ArtsLink International Fellow 2025 (Tajikistan)

Research Findings: At Risk and Displaced Artists

Yohann Floch, On the Move

Artist's Voice

Olha Filonchuk, ArtsLink International Fellow 2025 (Ukraine)

Opening Our Minds

Mary Ann DeVlieg, Independent

Artist's Voice

Maka Chkhaidze, ArtsLink International Fellow 2025 (Georgia)

Tea and Coffee Break

3:40 p.m. - 4:10 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 8:40 p.m. -  9:10 p.m. GMT (London, UTC -0) / 21:40 - 22:10 CET (Paris, UTC +1) / 22:40 - 23:10 EEST (Bucharest, UTC +2)

Working Groups: Sharing and Building Collective Strategies

4:10 p.m. - 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 9:10 p.m. - 11  p.m. GMT (London, UTC -0) / 22:10 - 00:00 CET (Paris, UTC +1) / 23:10 - 01:00 EEST (Bucharest, UTC +2)

The working groups met on Thursday to reflect together on the current cultural context, how they are adapting and what systemic changes could be made. This session will share their perspectives and ideas in dialogue with each other and with the Assembly participants.

Artists, moderator: Achiro Olwoch (ACN)
Artists Ressettlement Organisations, moderator: Ashley Tucker (AFI)
Arts Support Organisations, moderator: Matthew Covey (Tamizdat)
Foundations & Funding Organizations, moderator: Barbara Lanciers (TMU)

Livestream ends at 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

ArtsLink Assembly: Defending Each Other is curated and produced by CEC ArtsLink and Artistic Freedom Initiative (New York City) in partnership with Artists at Risk Connection and On the Move (Belgium/France), and hosted by La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Support is provided  by the Trust for Mutual Understanding. Livestream is produced and supported by HowlRound.com and facilitated onsite by Transcend Streaming. 

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based, peer-produced, open-access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world’s performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and develop our knowledge commons collectively. Anyone can participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page.