Artists may find themselves embroiled in human rights issues as a result of lifestyle choices or because of art that is politically engaged. Because the health of the art community globally affects individual artists everywhere, law and policy dealing with human rights is important not only as it applies to ourselves, but also as it applies to others.
Here is a searchable guide to the Geneva Conventions organized by topic. A number of provisions of the Geneva Conventions deal specifically with matters of art and culture. Four articles deal with censorship, for example; three deal with “cultural objects,” and three establish the right to engage in intellectual pursuits while imprisoned.
Society of Professional Journalists [www.spj.org]
Society of Professional Journalists/Geneva Conventions: A Reference Guide
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948. This abridged version of the declaration summarizes its provisions as they apply to artists.
Artists for Human Rights [www.artistsforhumanrights.org]
Artists for Human Rights/Universal Declaration of Human Rights