PEN International and Artists at Risk Connection Announce the Second Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship Cohort
Fellowship supports Cuban artists forced to flee for their free expression.
14 August 2024: PEN International and Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) announces 10 artists selected to form the second edition of the Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship, following the completion of projects by the first cohort.
The fellows were selected from a diverse pool of applicants based in 17 countries, 75% of whom have left Cuba in the past three years. The second cohort of fellows supports artists and cultural professionals from a range of artistic disciplines with novel artistic projects. Fellows will create works that address themes related to artistic freedom, cultural rights, human rights, and other pertinent issues for the Cuban artistic community in exile.
‘Amid the relentless criminalisation, harassment, and forced exile of the Cuban independent artistic community, we proudly welcome these new fellows at a critical juncture for both Cuba and its diaspora,’ said Julie Trébault, ARC Director. ‘Profoundly inspired by the innovative artistic work of our inaugural cohort and their unwavering commitment to a brighter future for their country, it is unequivocally clear that this program is indispensable. It empowers a new wave of socially engaged Cuban artists abroad, enabling them to hone their craft and produce creative projects that challenge the realities of free expression and human rights in Cuba and around the world.’
Over six months, the Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship provides artists with a 7,000 USD resilience grant to complete an artistic project. The program also gives personalized support through virtual training and professional development opportunities, connecting artists to mentors, strengthening their professional networks, and helping them hone their craft in their host countries.
The 2024 Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience fellows are:
‘We are thrilled to welcome the second cohort of the Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship, which stands as a beacon of hope and support for Cuban artists who have been forced into exile due to the exercise of their peaceful free expression. This fellowship is a vital lifeline, enabling these artists to continue their creative work and shine a light on the struggles for artistic freedom and human rights.’ Romana Cacchioli, Executive Director of PEN International.
Additional Information about Cuba and the fellowship:
The Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship emerged from the findings and recommendations of ARC, PEN International, and Cubalex’s report Método Cuba: Independent Artists’ Testimonies of Forced Exile. The publication compiles testimonies from 17 Cuban artists in exile and other expert perspectives to outline prevalent patterns of harassment experienced by the independent Cuban artistic community, led by the Cuban government to stifle free expression in the country. The report also underlined the harsh realities faced by exiled and migrant creatives once off the island.
In November 2023, the Cuban government’s human rights record was evaluated as part of the fourth United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle. The review is based on information provided by the State under review, reports from Special Procedures, treaty bodies, other UN entities, and other civil society actors. ARC, PEN International, and other partner organizations submitted a joint contribution denouncing violations of human rights and free expression in the country during the period under review. The Summary of stakeholders’ submissions on Cuba, as well as the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of IACHR, underscored concerns related to the increased criminalization and harassment of “academics, journalists, artists, activists and human rights defenders for offenses related to the criticism of public officials. They added that, in many of these cases, the proceedings entail the immediate deprivation of liberty of those who express opinions, share information or voice criticism on issues of public interest or that involve government officials.”
As documented in War, Censorship, and Persecution: PEN International Case List 2023/2024, there are at least four writers in Cuba facing long-term imprisonment or detention without trial. The report shares over 16 cases of Cuban writers and artists who have faced diverse attacks against their freedom of expression, including judicial harassment, detentions, and imprisonment, among other forms of repression.
