Art and artists exist within networks of power, where funding is rarely neutral and often comes with compromise. Support from governments and private trusts can shape agendas and curb dissent, placing pressure on freedom of expression and democratic governance.
This opening panel discussion of the IETM Oulu Plenary Meeting 2026 confronts the power structures embedded in arts funding. It examines how these structures necessitate critical judgments, from navigating subtle pressures to resisting influence or refusing support outright, with implications for the work we make, the communities we build and the public spaces that sustain debate.
Bringing together academics, researchers and cultural leaders, we consider the ethical, practical and political stakes at play.
Confirmed speakers:
Sepp Eckenhaussen, Institute of Network Cultures & Caradt, the Netherlands
Ksenija Đurović, Bitef, Serbia
Moderator:
Beáta Hock, GWZO, Germany/Hungary