WHY WE SUPPORT FREEMUSE

Roskilde Festival has donated 1,500,000 DKK to Freemuse. We will work together with them to fight for the global right to artistic and creative freedom of speech.

Everyone should have the right to express oneself creatively and artistically. But we know this isn't the case. It's a fundamental human right, and yet it's challenged in many countries. Roskilde Festival believes in communities, and we believe in the role of art in the community. Art and music create communities, move people, show new ways.

Based in Roskilde, Denmark, it might seem so obvious to us that you can express yourself artistically that we often take it for granted. Take Iranian musician Liraz as an example. She's part of the Roskilde Festival 2019 line-up, and she's no longer based in her native Iran. Why? Because women cannot express themselves artistically and freely in Iran. This is what many people go through every day, and it's just one of many countries with this kind of censorship.

Freemuse and the freedom to express yourself

This is where Freemuse play such an important role: working to protect these fundamental human rights. Roskilde Festival is proud to support Freemuse with a donation of 1,500,000 DKK (about 200,000€) to help their work securing the right to express oneself artistically and creatively – all over the world.

Roskilde Festival and Freemuse also initaite a 3-year collaboration. Freemuse launch their Artistic Freedom Defenders Network at Roskilde Festival 2019. As the name implies, it's a network to help defend the right and freedom to express oneself artistically, wherever you are.

Solidarity with artists all over the world

Artistic Freedom Defenders Network (abbreviated AFDN) is an ambassador programme that artists can become a part of to show their support of this human right.

So what do Freemuse want to do with AFDN? It's about creating a community of artists, activists, NGO's, professionals, students and everyone who is interested in – and supports – artistic freedom. It's an opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and help make the world a safer space to express oneself.

AFDN will give members access to participate in campaigns, access to updates on concrete cases they're working on, newsletters, forums where you can report violations, petitions and much more.

In other words: There are many ways in which you can be involved and engaged. It's about solidarity between artists and solidarity with artists who don't have the same options to express themselves freely as many others enjoy.

We're proud to support Freemuse.

Join Artistic Freedom Defenders