named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist Residencies and Fellowships
Co-creates paid fellowships and residency placements with institutions like The New School, Juilliard, and Stanford, providing stipend support and creative development opportunities.
Artists for Social Change
Curates and produces multidisciplinary events that showcase the work of at-risk artists in safe environments.
Global Policy & Advocacy
Conducts research and policy engagement to strengthen protections for artists, including UN submissions and international advocacy.
Legal Services
Provides pro bono immigration representation for at-risk artists, including assistance with O and EB-1 visas, P visas, asylum petitions, refugee status, and work authorization.
Resettlement Assistance
Offers holistic support including temporary housing, studio space, employment and education opportunities, and networking for artists resettling in the United States.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 2 activities
- Advocating for artistic freedom through international engagement and policy reformEngages in advocacy with governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society to advance protections for artists, including filing seven submissions to the UN Universal Periodic Review. Develops model legislation and conducts strategic litigation to strengthen legal safeguards for artistic freedom and cultural institution independence.
- Conducting research on global threats to artistic freedomProduces research reports documenting suppression of artistic freedom globally, including six published reports on global threats to expression, and qualitative Spotlight Reports based on stakeholder interviews. Maintains a public record of U.S. government actions restricting artistic freedom.
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Artist Visa and Mobility Support 2 activities
- Implementing targeted protection initiatives for persecuted artistsOperates focused programs such as the Afghan Artists Protection Project, which provides legal and resettlement support to Afghan artists and cultural workers facing persecution post-2021 withdrawal. Provides holistic assistance to artists facing censorship, persecution, or forced displacement due to their creative expression.
- Providing legal and resettlement support to at-risk artistsProvides pro bono immigration legal representation, including assistance with visas, asylum petitions, and refugee status, and supports resettlement in the United States by securing work authorizations, temporary housing, studio space, and connections to employment, education, and residency opportunities for at-risk artists. Since inception, has supported 4,400+ at-risk artists and their family members.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Facilitating safe residency and fellowship placements for at-risk artistsPlaces at-risk artists in fully funded residency programs across the U.S., including through partnerships with institutions like MacDowell, Art Omi, and The New School, and has co-created 15 fellowships providing over $800,000 in stipend support. Has provided over 280 months of fully funded residency placements since inception.
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Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Operating the Artist Community Network for peer support and professional developmentRuns the Artist Community Network (ACN), an artist-led initiative that facilitates peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, professional development, networking events, and partnership-building for NYC-based at-risk artists.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Producing public events and exhibitions to showcase at-risk artists’ workCurates and produces multidisciplinary arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and public events—both independently and in partnership with cultural institutions—to amplify the work of at-risk and activist artists. Has produced over 50 such events since inception, including performances like "About My Mother" and group exhibitions at venues such as Transmitter Gallery in Brooklyn.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$394K
Contributions & grants$381K97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$12K3%
Other revenue$393
expenses
Total expenses$1.29M
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$954K
Grants paid out$5K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$307K
Cash$226K
Investments$0
Liabilities$74K
Net assets$233K
Liquid reserves2.1 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -56.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Tucker | Co-Executive Director & Secretary | 50 | $157K |
| Sanjay Sethi | Co-Executive Director & Treasurer | 35 | $59K |
board members · 5
- Daniela Kaisth — Board Memeber
- Dinesh Khosla — Board Chair
- Divya Khosla — Board Member
- James Miller III — Board Member
- Keith Harper — Board Member
relationships · 46
Who they work with
- (Le) Poisson Rouge Partner — Partner institution in producing arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and other events for at-risk artists.
- AFM Network — Artistic Freedom Initiative leads the Artistic Freedom Monitor (AFM) initiative as its primary implementing organization.
- Art Omi Partner — Partners with AFI to host artists from its network in residency programs.
- Bennington College Partner — Hosts artists and cultural workers through AFI’s resettlement program.
- City of Asylum Detroit Partner — Partners with AFI to host artists from its network in residency programs.
- Democracy Forward Partner — Partner organization supporting the Artistic Freedom Monitor USA initiative.
- Dupont Underground Partner — Partner institution in producing arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and other events for at-risk artists.
- Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Partner — Partners with AFI to host artists from its network in residency programs.
- European Union Government — Addressed as a key international actor to monitor Hungary's democratic backsliding.
- Eva Mayhabal Davis Partner — Co-curated the group exhibition Encapsulate in Transcendence featuring AFI artists.
- George Mason University Partner — Hosts artists and cultural workers through AFI’s resettlement program.
- Global Pluralism Award Network — Recognized as a 2025 laureate for legal services and advocacy for international artists at risk
- Goethe-Institut Partner — Collaborated on artist safety hosting events, as indicated by event imagery and context.
- Goethe-Institut Partner — Collaborated on artist safety hosting initiatives.
- Human Rights First Partner — Partner organization supporting the Artistic Freedom Monitor USA initiative.
- IRT Theater Partner — Collaborated with AFI to present the performance "About My Mother".
- Joe's Pub at The Public Theater Partner — Presenting partner for performances by AFI-supported musicians, including events in the SHIM musician-in-residence program.
- Kennedy Center Partner — Partner institution in producing arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and other events for at-risk artists.
- Lila Nazemian Partner — Co-curated the group exhibition Encapsulate in Transcendence featuring AFI artists.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Partner institution in producing arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and other events for at-risk artists.
- MacDowell Partner — Partners with AFI to host artists from its network in residency programs.
- NYU Arts & Science Partner — Institution where an AFI-supported artist teaches.
- National Sawdust Partner — Partner institution in producing arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and other events for at-risk artists.
- New York City Artist Safe Haven Residency Program Partner — Hosts visual and writer-in-residence artists supported by AFI.
- New York Film Academy Partner — Co-created paid fellowships for at-risk artists
- New York Film Academy Partner — Hosts artists and cultural workers through AFI’s resettlement program.
- Queens Museum Partner — Partner institution in producing arts festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and other events for at-risk artists.
- Stanford Law School Pro Bono Programs Partner — Legal pro bono partner supporting the Artistic Freedom Monitor USA initiative.
- Stanford University Partner — Co-created paid fellowships for at-risk artists
- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Partner — Institution where an AFI-supported artist teaches.
+ 16 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Art as a Transformative Practicemethodology: art-as-transcendenceBy supporting artistic expression, we help at-risk artists process trauma and transcend conditions of displacement, because creative work generates emotional and conceptual momentum that fosters resilience and reintegration.
- Artist-Centered Holistic Support Modelmethodology: holistic_support_modelBy integrating legal protection, resettlement, professional development, and public engagement, we restore stability and agency to at-risk artists, because comprehensive, coordinated support enables the reactivation and continuation of their creative practice.
- Artist-Led Research and Advocacymethodology: artist-centered-researchBy centering the lived experiences of at-risk artists in research and policy work, we strengthen global advocacy, because authentic, evidence-based narratives produce more effective and legitimate policy change.
- Artistic Freedom as a Human Rightmethodology: artistic-freedom-as-human-rightBy defending artistic freedom through legal frameworks and international human rights mechanisms, we protect cultural expression in repressive environments, because art is a form of dissent essential to democratic and human rights ecosystems.
- Protecting At-Risk Artists to Sustain Social Changemethodology: artist-protection-for-social-changeBy providing legal, resettlement, and professional support to at-risk artists, we enable them to continue creating and driving social change, because their artistic expression is both a human right and a catalyst for cultural dissent and justice.