Open Culture

A Coalition for Artistic inclusivity, dialogue, and Cultural Exchange

Who We Are

Open Culture is an international network of artists, cultural workers, and arts professionals dedicated to protecting artistic freedom and promoting inclusive cultural exchange. Our members have experienced exclusion, cancellations, or professional harm due to policies that restrict participation based on nationality, race, perceived political identity, or other non-artistic factors.

Our Mission

We believe culture should be a space for expression, dialogue, and collaboration, not a tool for exclusion or political coercion. Our mission is to:

Document and share cases of professional discrimination in cultural spaces.
Support artists and cultural workers in maintaining their right to participate freely.
Encourage cultural institutions, festivals, and broadcasters to uphold principles of pluralism, inclusion, and fairness.

What We Do

Collect and publish documented experiences of exclusion, discrimination or pressure.
Provide a space for artists to share experiences safely.
Offer guidance and consultation to cultural institutions seeking to promote open participation.
Serve as a reliable point of contact for media and journalists reporting on cultural exclusion.

Our Principles

Participation in cultural activities should never require political declarations.
Artists should not be excluded based on nationality, ethnicity, or perceived political beliefs.
Cultural institutions have a responsibility to protect freedom of expression and ensure professional equality.
Open dialogue and exchange strengthen culture; exclusion weakens it.