Artists at Risk (AR)
@artistsatrisk.bsky.social
Artists at Risk (AR) is an institution at the intersection of human rights and the arts.
https://artistsatrisk.org/
https://artistsatrisk.org/
Because of this, she cannot return to Belarus.
Thank you Karjalainen and Heli Innala for interviewing Polina!
#ArtistsAtRisk #ARAlumni #PolinaKuznetsova #Belarus #HumanRights #ArtisticFreedom #Karjalainen #Värtsilä #TextileArt #Perpetuum #ArtistResidency #HumanRights #ARResident #Karjalainen
Thank you Karjalainen and Heli Innala for interviewing Polina!
#ArtistsAtRisk #ARAlumni #PolinaKuznetsova #Belarus #HumanRights #ArtisticFreedom #Karjalainen #Värtsilä #TextileArt #Perpetuum #ArtistResidency #HumanRights #ARResident #Karjalainen
December 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Because of this, she cannot return to Belarus.
Thank you Karjalainen and Heli Innala for interviewing Polina!
#ArtistsAtRisk #ARAlumni #PolinaKuznetsova #Belarus #HumanRights #ArtisticFreedom #Karjalainen #Värtsilä #TextileArt #Perpetuum #ArtistResidency #HumanRights #ARResident #Karjalainen
Thank you Karjalainen and Heli Innala for interviewing Polina!
#ArtistsAtRisk #ARAlumni #PolinaKuznetsova #Belarus #HumanRights #ArtisticFreedom #Karjalainen #Värtsilä #TextileArt #Perpetuum #ArtistResidency #HumanRights #ARResident #Karjalainen
The human rights situation remains critical in Belarus: persecution for participation in protests and dissent continues; there is systemic repression of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, and the number of political prisoners remains exceptionally high.
December 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
The human rights situation remains critical in Belarus: persecution for participation in protests and dissent continues; there is systemic repression of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, and the number of political prisoners remains exceptionally high.
After she found peace and a new beginning for her and her children in Northern Karelia, she decided to stay in Värtsilä even after the residency.
Polina says in the interview that she hopes to continue her life in Värtsilä for now.
Polina says in the interview that she hopes to continue her life in Värtsilä for now.
December 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
After she found peace and a new beginning for her and her children in Northern Karelia, she decided to stay in Värtsilä even after the residency.
Polina says in the interview that she hopes to continue her life in Värtsilä for now.
Polina says in the interview that she hopes to continue her life in Värtsilä for now.
By profession, Polina is a visual artist but she thinks of herself as a weaver, she tells in the interview. Värtsilä turned out to be the perfect place to continue her practice.
December 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
By profession, Polina is a visual artist but she thinks of herself as a weaver, she tells in the interview. Värtsilä turned out to be the perfect place to continue her practice.
When her activism got the attention of governmental actors, she decided to take a step back from it and escape the dictatorship in Belarus with one suitcase and her two children. Polina sought help from Artists at Risk (AR) and got a residency at @vartsilaresidency in Northern Karelia.
December 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
When her activism got the attention of governmental actors, she decided to take a step back from it and escape the dictatorship in Belarus with one suitcase and her two children. Polina sought help from Artists at Risk (AR) and got a residency at @vartsilaresidency in Northern Karelia.
Polina was interviewed for the newspaper @karjalainenfi recently.
For a long time Polina had been vocal in her opposition against the government. After the war in Ukraine started, the Belarusian government tightened the grasp on its citizens. “Silence would have felt like betrayal”, she says.
For a long time Polina had been vocal in her opposition against the government. After the war in Ukraine started, the Belarusian government tightened the grasp on its citizens. “Silence would have felt like betrayal”, she says.
December 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Polina was interviewed for the newspaper @karjalainenfi recently.
For a long time Polina had been vocal in her opposition against the government. After the war in Ukraine started, the Belarusian government tightened the grasp on its citizens. “Silence would have felt like betrayal”, she says.
For a long time Polina had been vocal in her opposition against the government. After the war in Ukraine started, the Belarusian government tightened the grasp on its citizens. “Silence would have felt like betrayal”, she says.
#ArtistsAtRisk #Perpetuum #Helsinki #Residency #ARArtist #ArtAsResistance #ArtisticFreedom #AR #ARResidency #Perpetuummobile #RefugeeArtists #TemporaryRelocation
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Film Residency, and the UK/UA Animation Lab.
We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Alexandra in Helsinki and hope she has a peaceful and productive stay at the AR Safe Haven Helsinki residency!
We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Alexandra in Helsinki and hope she has a peaceful and productive stay at the AR Safe Haven Helsinki residency!
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Film Residency, and the UK/UA Animation Lab.
We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Alexandra in Helsinki and hope she has a peaceful and productive stay at the AR Safe Haven Helsinki residency!
We are delighted to have the opportunity to host Alexandra in Helsinki and hope she has a peaceful and productive stay at the AR Safe Haven Helsinki residency!
The company is currently developing two feature documentaries, one fiction feature, and three short films — including an animated project — across leading European development labs and industry platforms such as Documentary Campus Masterschool, Doc Lab Poland & Ukraine, Less is More, Pop Up
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The company is currently developing two feature documentaries, one fiction feature, and three short films — including an animated project — across leading European development labs and industry platforms such as Documentary Campus Masterschool, Doc Lab Poland & Ukraine, Less is More, Pop Up
ELERON PICTURES supports new voices in the film industry and contributes to creating a more inclusive, diverse, and sustainable audiovisual environment. In 2023, ELERON PICTURES made its international debut with the short documentary “Guests from Kharkiv,” which premiered at Hot Docs.
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
ELERON PICTURES supports new voices in the film industry and contributes to creating a more inclusive, diverse, and sustainable audiovisual environment. In 2023, ELERON PICTURES made its international debut with the short documentary “Guests from Kharkiv,” which premiered at Hot Docs.
In 2020, she founded the film production company ELERON PICTURES, which works on projects that highlight Ukraine's contemporary experiences and themes of memory, identity, and resilience.
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
In 2020, she founded the film production company ELERON PICTURES, which works on projects that highlight Ukraine's contemporary experiences and themes of memory, identity, and resilience.
Alexandra has also worked as an executive producer on fiction films presented at the Venice Film Festival, Toronto IFF, and Warsaw IFF. Her producing credits include the documentaries “Crimea as It Was” (2016) and “Fragile Memory” (Best of Fest, IDF 2022).
December 2, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Alexandra has also worked as an executive producer on fiction films presented at the Venice Film Festival, Toronto IFF, and Warsaw IFF. Her producing credits include the documentaries “Crimea as It Was” (2016) and “Fragile Memory” (Best of Fest, IDF 2022).
There she has focused on socially engaged documentaries while also working as a line producer, executive producer, and distributor for leading Ukrainian companies.
December 2, 2025 at 2:31 PM
There she has focused on socially engaged documentaries while also working as a line producer, executive producer, and distributor for leading Ukrainian companies.
#ArtistsAtRisk #Perpetuum #Helsinki #ARAlumni #Theatre #PoliticalRefugee #AR #ArtistsatRisk #ARResidency #Perpetuum #Perpetuummobile #RefugeeArtists #ARArtists
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
“Talvi pöydän alla” runs until 15 December at @helsinki98theatre (Vuosaarentie 7, 00980 Helsinki, Finland).
You can find the links to the tickets and the original article (in Finnish) in our Bio.
You can find the links to the tickets and the original article (in Finnish) in our Bio.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
“Talvi pöydän alla” runs until 15 December at @helsinki98theatre (Vuosaarentie 7, 00980 Helsinki, Finland).
You can find the links to the tickets and the original article (in Finnish) in our Bio.
You can find the links to the tickets and the original article (in Finnish) in our Bio.
As the journalist Laura Kytölä notes, “It raises the question of whether we [in Finland] have understood the potential of immigrant artists.” Many thanks to Helsingin Sanomat for their support and recognition!
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
As the journalist Laura Kytölä notes, “It raises the question of whether we [in Finland] have understood the potential of immigrant artists.” Many thanks to Helsingin Sanomat for their support and recognition!
“Many want to return home,” says Marita Muukkonen, co-founder of Artists at Risk (AR) with Ivor Stodolsky, but have no choice but to stay longer and make their place of refuge their new home.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
“Many want to return home,” says Marita Muukkonen, co-founder of Artists at Risk (AR) with Ivor Stodolsky, but have no choice but to stay longer and make their place of refuge their new home.
Ushakou was drawn to its message that “[h]ope is essential in the current state of the world,” portraying an immigrant moving “from under the table to the table” and becoming part of a community.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Ushakou was drawn to its message that “[h]ope is essential in the current state of the world,” portraying an immigrant moving “from under the table to the table” and becoming part of a community.
He was welcomed by Artists at Risk (AR) at AR-Safe Haven Helsinki, where he lives today.
The play Talvi pöydän alla adapts Roland Topor’s L’Hiver sous la table, an absurd comedy about an undocumented refugee living “under the table” in France.
The play Talvi pöydän alla adapts Roland Topor’s L’Hiver sous la table, an absurd comedy about an undocumented refugee living “under the table” in France.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
He was welcomed by Artists at Risk (AR) at AR-Safe Haven Helsinki, where he lives today.
The play Talvi pöydän alla adapts Roland Topor’s L’Hiver sous la table, an absurd comedy about an undocumented refugee living “under the table” in France.
The play Talvi pöydän alla adapts Roland Topor’s L’Hiver sous la table, an absurd comedy about an undocumented refugee living “under the table” in France.
After the fraudulent elections and mass anti-government protests, he was threatened by the Belarusian KGB and forced to flee first to Ukraine, where he founded the Belarusian Theater, and later to Helsinki following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
After the fraudulent elections and mass anti-government protests, he was threatened by the Belarusian KGB and forced to flee first to Ukraine, where he founded the Belarusian Theater, and later to Helsinki following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Premiered on 19 November, the production resonates with local audiences thanks to its director’s artistic vision and remarkable personal story, which is described in detail in the article.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Premiered on 19 November, the production resonates with local audiences thanks to its director’s artistic vision and remarkable personal story, which is described in detail in the article.
Artists at Risk (AR) is proud to highlight the recent Helsingin Sanomat feature on AR-Alumnus Uladzimir Ushakou and the play “Talvi pöydän alla” (Winter Under the Table) which he directed at @helsinki98theatre.
November 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Artists at Risk (AR) is proud to highlight the recent Helsingin Sanomat feature on AR-Alumnus Uladzimir Ushakou and the play “Talvi pöydän alla” (Winter Under the Table) which he directed at @helsinki98theatre.