Assisting artists whose freedom or even lives are at high risk
Perpetuum Mobile ry (PM), which runs ARTISTS at RISK (AR), is a non-profit organisation active at the intersection of human rights and the arts (501c-3 equivalency). Since 2013, PM has developed AR to become a mondial network of artistic institutions, non-profits, municipalities, state institutions and international organisations to assist, relocate and fund artists who are at risk of persecution or oppression, or are fleeing war or terror.
Artists at Risk (AR) has become known as the “go-to” institution for artists and cultural professionals at risk. In 2022–2023, AR co-hosted and funded 767 artists and cultural professionals (without counting family and dependents) at 302 partner institutions globally. The Helsinki-based AR-Secretariat coordinated the online efforts of the global AR-Team.
Throughout its more than 10 years of activity, Artists at Risk (AR) has assisted persecuted, threatened or imprisoned artists of all kinds, both unknown and of worldwide renown. Among the prominent figures AR has assisted, one might mention the founders of Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova, the Somali pop-star Lil Balil, the Vietnamese dissident Mai Khoi and the Egyptian poet Galal El-Behairy.
Artists at Risk (AR)’s umbrella organisation, Perpetuum Mobile (PM) curates events, conferences and the dedicated Artists at Risk (AR) Pavilion which showcases the artistic practices of AR-Residents.
Honours and Awards
- Artists at Risk (AR) by Perpetuum Mobile (PM) was honoured by the European Parliament with the CIVI EUROPAEO PRAEMIUM (the European Citizens’ Prize) in 2016.
- AR-Safe Haven Helsinki won the Annual Art Act Award in 2016.
- AR was also awarded the Thematic State Prize of Taike, Finland in 2017
- AR was featured on the first SUBSTANCE 100 list in 2020.
- Artists at Risk (AR) received the key State Prize of Finland in 2021
- AR won the Arts and Culture Champion Action of the Year by the Trade Union for Art and Culture Professionals (TAKU Prize) in 2022.
- Artists at Risk (AR) won the highest State Prize of Finland, marking a 10th anniversary with the inauguration of the new category of Social Impact (50 000 Euros) in 2022.
Artists at Risk (AR) was co-founded by Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky (in alternating order) of Perpetuum Mobile (PM).
Artists at Risk (AR)’s work is supported by an informal International Advisory Council presently made up of Maria Alyokhina (Pussy Riot), Barış Seyitvan (Curator and Artist) and Helge Lunde (Executive Director, ICORN).
Team
For security reasons, not all staff are named
Co-Founders and Directors
- Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky (in alternating order)
Artists at Risk (AR) Secretariat
Contact: [email protected]
- Akram Ati, Regional Coordinator, Afghanistan
- Ramiro Camilo, Peer-Curator, Helsinki
- Rowena Hurme, PR Coordinator
- Danson Kahyana, Risk Assessment, Coordination, Anglophone Africa
- Ahmed Mourad Khanfir, Risk Assessment, Hosting, Tunisia
- Natalya Kravchuk, Matchmaking Curator, Ukraine
- Pinkie, Risk Assessment, Coordination
- Helmi-Sofia Rissanen, Residency Assistant, Helsinki
- Nadja Zdravkova, Matchmaking Curator, Global
- IT/Security Consultant (withheld)
- Others withheld for security reasons
Peer-Artist/Curator Programme in Finland:
(changes regularly)
- Ramiro Camelo, curator
- Krista Mikkola, curator
- Heidi Lunabba, curator
- Maria Ångerman, artist
External
- Kaarina Forsblom, Accountant (F-Tiili oy, chartered accountants)
AR web template by Ciaran Gaffey with IS
AR logo design by IS with Mirkka Hietanen
Pro-bono CloudFlare
Contacts
Apply Page for Residency Candidates and Hosting Organisations
Secure communications
Press inquiries: [email protected]
General Contact: [email protected]
Imprint
Artists at Risk (AR) is an initiative of Perpetuum Mobile ry
Perpetuum Mobile ry is a non-profit association registered in Finland
Association ID: 2511712-5
Address: Nordenskiöldinkatu 5 C 69
Co-Directors: Ivor Stodolsky and Marita Muukkonen (in alternating order)
Board members: Sari Paronen (Chairperson), Ray Langenbach (Vice-Chairperson), Adriano Galante (Treasurer)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: on request
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For press inquiries: [email protected]
To apply for a residency
or if you wish to become a hosting organisation
click here.
