If I Can Make It Here…:

The world music community helping displaced musicians reboot their careers

Matthew Covey by Rafael Piñeros
Valerie Denn by Ramy Essam
Ramy Essam by Patrick Fore/Taylor Guitars
Sanni Kahilainen by Tero Ahonen
Ashley Tucker by Joshua Carrigan

Session 3

Chaired by Matthew Covey (USA), Tamizdat

with Valerie Denn (USA/Canada), Val Denn Agency;
Ramy Essam (Egypt/Finland/Sweden), Artist;
Sanni Kahilainen (Finland), Finnish Musicians' Union;
Ashley Tucker (USA), Artistic Freedom Initiative

This autumn, the Artistic Freedom Initiative and Tamizdat have launched the ‘Safe Haven Incubator for Music NYC’, a residency and mentorship programme designed to help international musicians who are persecuted or censored for their work. When dissident musicians are forced to reboot their careers in exile, they face unique creative and professional challenges. This session will discuss those challenges, will introduce leaders in the ‘Safe Havens’ community and will show how the WOMEX community can leverage its expertise and commitment to address critical issues of free speech and forced mobility.