We, the artists of the world, demand a creative economy that is fair, inclusive, and led by those who power it.

In this moment of cultural urgency, artists and creatives - those whose livelihoods are rooted in cultural and creative industries such as film, music, dance, photography, poetry, visual art, design, and more - stand united to call for a radical shift in how the global creative economy is shaped and governed.

We are not passive participants.
We are system-builders.
Storytellers.
Societal mirrors.

And we can no longer be left out of the rooms where decisions are made about our sector, our futures, and our livelihoods.

Who We Are

Artists and creative practitioners are more than just creators or entertainers. We are educators, diplomats, entrepreneurs, innovators, healers, and community leaders. From stage to screen, gallery to grassroots, our labor builds economies, strengthens identities, and mobilizes movements.

The Problem

The global creative economy contributes over $2.25 trillion annually - 3% of global GDP - and supports over 30 million jobs (UNESCO, World Bank).

Yet the very people driving this growth remain undervalued, underpaid, and excluded from decision-making frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Pact for the Future, and the Global Digital Compact.

Our leadership is flexible.
Our process is collaborative.
Our commitment is proven.
It is time we are trusted.

Our Demands

1. Co-Creation, Not Tokenism

We demand to be treated as equal partners - not as unpaid contributors to public engagement or campaign strategies.

We insist on:

• Fair compensation - not exposure.
• Full credit and clear contracts. Equitable participation in cultural projects and policy design.

Tokenism has no place in a just creative economy.

2. Artist-Designed Spaces and Residencies

We call for:

• Artist-led spaces, residencies, and convenings shaped by our own creative processes - not imposed frameworks.
• Opportunities for diverse and historically excluded artists - women, youth, Indigenous peoples, disabled artists, BI-POC and global south creators and others.
• Stages, both physical and digital, where we present our work as partners in global dialogue - not just performers.

Artists know how to build community. We just need the resources and space to do so.

3. Fair Pay and Financial Transparency

We are professionals, not hobbyists.

We demand:

• On-time payment.
• Transparent project budgets.
• Disclosure of intermediary fees.
• Travel stipends, scholarships, and production support for global participation as with other underrepresented groups in decision-making spaces.

Respect isn’t a bonus - it’s a baseline.

4. Artists as Leaders in Global Diplomacy

We are not just performers. We are architects of cultural futures.

Artists must lead in shaping the policies that govern our lives, work, and livelihoods. Too often, frameworks that define the creative economy - labor protections, IP laws, funding models, education systems, trade agreements, and climate adaptation plans - are created without our input. This causes unintentional harmful policies.  This must change.

We demand:

• Formal leadership roles for artists in the creation, review, and implementation of cultural and creative economy policies - locally, nationally, and globally.
• Decision-making power in the institutions that allocate funding, determine value, and set the global creative agenda.
• Integration of artists in the design of cross-sector policies where culture intersects with climate, health, education, technology, and diplomacy.

We don’t just respond to policy - we shape it.
We don’t just perform solutions - we co-create them.
We are ready to lead with vision, values, and lived experience.

5. Intergenerational Collaboration

A sustainable creative economy honors both legacy and innovation.

We urge:

• Mentorship pipelines between established and emerging artists.
• Programs that support youth-led creativity and elder artist care.
• Funding structures that bridge - not divide - generations.

Creativity doesn’t age out. It evolves.

6. Representation as Legitimate Stakeholders

We demand:

• Our own Arts Envoy, UN Major Group, (MGoS) and official delegations in global diplomacy and creative economy forums.
• Inclusion of artists in national cultural policy consultations and international treaty negotiations.
• Recognition that creative expression is a public good, deserving of governance that protects our rights and resources.

Artists need to be included as legitimate stakeholders.

7. Protection of Our Ideas and Intellectual Property

Our ideas are not free to take. Our work is not conent to extract.

• Require clear agreements before using the artist work or ideas shared.
• Enforce IP protection, especially in collaborative or AI-generated environments.
• Create global standards that ensure artists retain ownership, revenue, and credit for their creations.

Stealing ideas is not collaboration. It’s exploitation.

8. Accountable and Informed Leadership in Cultural Institutions

We deserve to engage with cultural organizations and institutions that are led by individuals who understand our industries, our communities, and the values we stand for.

It is not enough to appoint administrators with no lived experience in the arts, no practice in creative industry work, and no understanding of inclusion, equity, or community building. This disconnect undermines trust, reduces impact, and perpetuates systems of exclusion.

We demand:

• Leaders who are grounded in creative practices, not just cultural management.
• Leadership training and accountability standards that prioritize equity, inclusion, and artist engagement.
• A shift away from extractive, corporate-style governance in cultural institutions toward models rooted in service, solidarity, and shared vision with the communities they claim to represent.

Being forced to navigate institutions led by individuals who lack the knowledge or respect for our work is not only inefficient - it is disrespectful.

9. Recognition in Global Diplomacy and Multilateral Governance

We are not simply a subset of culture. We are a sector of our own - economic, political, social, and diplomatic in scope.

Artists and cultural workers must be recognized as critical actors in global governance, diplomacy, and multilateral decision-making. Our exclusion from United Nations resolutions, intergovernmental negotiations, and high-level forums on development, sustainability, technology, and peacebuilding must end.

We demand:

• Formal recognition of artists and creatives as a standalone sector in global diplomacy, not just under the banner of “culture and sports.”
• Inclusion of artists in the drafting of UN resolutions, declarations, and compacts that relate to human rights, sustainability, innovation, and future generations.
• Dismantling of the harmful stereotype that artists are too “difficult,” “emotional,” or “disruptive” to lead or collaborate in high-level processes.

We are not distractions.
We are not side-programming.
We are strategic, visionary actors whose work often precedes, inspires, and accelerates policy change.

10. Sustainable Infrastructure for a Thriving Creative Future

Artists need more than applause.  We need systems that sustain us.

We call for long-term investments in the infrastructure that supports creative livelihoods:

• Artist-run spaces, community-based studios, and innovation labs
• Equitable access to digital tools, platforms, and training
• Legal and administrative support for independent artists and collectives
• Environmental sustainability in creative production and presentation

The creative economy cannot thrive on precarious gigs and temporary stages.

It requires stable, localized, and equitable infrastructure that reflects the real conditions of artists’ lives and work - especially in the global south and historically underserved communities.

Without investment in our ecosystems, innovation stalls, equity fails, and cultural futures remain fragile.

We Call On:

• Member States to recognize and fund artists as core partners in global development.
• Cultural Institutions and Festivals to co-create with artists, not just program us.
• Funders and Foundations to invest in artist-led models and direct funding - not just intermediaries and not economic models developed without our input.
• NGOs, UN agencies, and advocacy campaigns to start embedding us in design, implementation, and evaluation.

We Commit:

We, the artists, commit to:

• Building  inclusive, anti-racist, feminist, and decolonized creative systems.
• Uplifting the most marginalized voices in our ranks.
• Modeling transparency and accountability in our practices.

We do not seek handouts. We seek structural change.

Join the Movement

By signing this manifesto, you are joining a growing global movement of artists, allies, and institutions working toward a just and sustainable creative future.

Together, let us co-create a world where artists are not just invited in - but are helping to lead the way.

Join our newsletter at artsandcultureworkinggroup.org.

 

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