Next Edition: February 14-16, 2025 – Zanzibar, Tanzania

Join us

We invite artists, policymakers, human rights organisations, regional bodies, and anyone passionate about artistic freedom to participate in this conference.

Registration is now closed. If you would still like to attend the summit, please reach out to us at panaf@selam.se.

The Pan-African Network for Artistic Freedom (PANAF) Summit is an annual event that brings together artists, cultural producers, policymakers, and human rights advocates to advance the cause of artistic freedom across the African continent and beyond. Through dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy, the Summit, now in its second edition,  aims to foster a stronger network of stakeholders committed to protecting and promoting the rights of artists in diverse and complex cultural environments. This edition is organised by Selam in partnership with the Artist at Risk Connection (ARC) with the support of the Swedish Arts Council and the Swedish Institute.

 

Theme of the summit: “Art, Civic Engagement, and Movement Building”

On behalf of Selam,welcome to the 2nd edition of the PANAF Summit which this year focuses on collective strategies for countering censorship, building networks, and strengthening support for at-risk artists. We look forward to uniting with you in advancing artistic freedom across Africa and beyond.

Warm regards,

Teshome Wondimu

Selam founder and executive director

On behalf of Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the second edition of the PANAF Summit on Artistic Freedom. This year’s summit builds on the powerful momentum of our inaugural gathering, uniting artists, policymakers, and advocates from across Africa and beyond to champion artistic freedom as a fundamental human right.

ARC is deeply honored to co-organize this summit alongside Selam, whose visionary leadership has created this critical space for dialogue and action. At ARC, we work to defend and advance the right to artistic freedom, providing at-risk artists with the resources and support they need to thrive in the face of profound challenges. Africa is a continent of immense creative power, but one where artists too often grapple with censorship, systemic inequities, and socio-political barriers that stifle their voices and constrain their potential.

This Summit is more than a venue for conversation—it is a platform for action. Together, we will explore the nuanced realities of artistic freedom across the African continent. We aim to strengthen regional and global alliances, craft inclusive and forward-thinking policies, and deepen our collective resolve to protect and amplify the voices that not only reflect but shape the societies we inhabit.

Thank you for joining us in this critical work; your active engagement throughout the panels and workshops will help enrich the discussion and shape the outcomes of this gathering. Together, we can amplify the power of art and creativity as forces for progress and change.

Warm regards,

Julie Trebault

Director, Artists at Risk Connection

PANAF Summit Program Date: 14th – 16th Feb, 2025
  Venue: Spice Tree Hotel, Stone Town, Zanzibar

DAY 1
14th February 2025

9:00 am

Opening Ceremony

9:45 am

Keynote speech

10:10 am

PANAF Partner Presentations & Group Discussions

11:25 am

Artistic Performance

11:40 am

Panel: The Role of Artists in Movement building Across the Continent

12:40 am

HEALTH BREAK

02:00 PM

Panel: Strategies for Regional Artistic Solidarity: Residencies and Emergency Response

06:00 PM

PANAF SUMMIT RECEPTION

DAY 2
15th February 2025

9:00 am

Welcome Remarks and Group Reflections

9:25 am

Panel: Artistic Freedom Regulation in an Era of Digital Media and Technology

11:00 am

Panel Discussion: Challenges and Role of Government in Advancing Artistic Freedom

01:00 PM

HEALTH BREAK

02:00 PM

Artistic Performance

02:15 PM

Panel: UNESCO and regional bodies in Artistic freedom

DAY 3 : 16th February 2025

9:00 am

Welcome Remarks and Group Reflections

9:30 am

Plenary Session: Strategies for Funding Arts and Creative Civil Society Organizations

10:30 PM - 12:00PM

Development of Commitments

12:30 PM - 01:00PM

Closing Remarks

Objectives of the 2025 Summit

Summit Programme

Expected Outcomes

Gallery PANAF Summit 2025

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