‘Artists need to be able to advocate for their own work’: new guide advises artists on navigating censorship

The Art Newspaper reported that the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) released a new resource, “The Artist’s Guide to Defending Artistic Freedom,” advising artists on how to respond when institutions cancel exhibitions, remove works, or renegotiate contracts due to anticipated controversy. NCAC’s Elizabeth Larison said the guide was initiated after an artist requested talking points to defend a threatened exhibition, and she described a climate in which curators and cultural workers may fear retaliation, including on campuses affected by state actions targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The guide was written beginning in 2025 by Larison and colleagues including Minji Lee and Svetlana Mintcheva and was released earlier this month, recommending that artists remind institutions that compromising curatorial integrity can cause reputational damage and loss of public trust. The article cites recent US examples of alleged or contested censorship involving Samia Halaby at Indiana University’s Eskenazi Museum of Art (early 2024), Amy Sherald and the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery (2024), and Victor Quiñonez at the University of North Texas (a show closed nine days after opening).

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