Earlier this month, Artists at Risk (AR) Co-Directors Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky took part in the panel “Art in the Age of Panic Politics” at the Ars Electronica Festival 2025 in Linz, Austria.
Alongside fellow speakers Simon Weckert, Nancy Bates and Sergio Fontanella, Stodolsky and Muukkonen discussed the instrumentalisation of fear and panic in political discourse. The panel unpacked the possibilities of escaping the logic of viral media that invite panic politics and of creating alternative political narratives through artistic practice.
The festival offered interesting insights of the current issues in the intersection of art, technology and society and presented a wide collection of artistic perspectives under the theme “PANIC yes/no”.
During the festival, we also celebrated the State of the ART(ist) award winners: Main Prize Winner David Shongo and Award of Distinction honorees Anet Sandra Açıkgöz and AR-Alumnus Issa Touma. New AR-Barcelona resident and Palestinian writer Marwa Abu Raida also received an honorable mention. Since its founding in 2022, our AR co-directors have been members of the awards jury. The 2025 winning projects show us how art is an expression of resistance, hope, and survival. Once again, congratulations to the winners!
For over 10 years, AR has worked at the intersection of art and human rights, seeking to mitigate the fears and panic many artists face due to political instability, oppression, or war. AR also works to develop curatorial projects, advocacy campaigns, and collaborates with multiple arts organisations, municipalities and international entities.
Recordings of the conference program––”Art in the Age of Panic Politics” panel included––can be seen on Ars Electronica’s YouTube Channel.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Ars Electronica Festival and its attendees.
The work to protect creatives whose freedom and lives are at risk continues!
