The Censorship Horizon
29 January 2025

PEN America launched the report "The Censorship Horizon," along with the Association of Art Museum Directors and Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), highlighting the increasing threats of censorship faced by art museums in the U.S. and globally.
While 77% of museum directors surveyed recognize censorship as a critical issue, 90% of these institutions lack formal, written policies to address or counter such challenges.
Key Findings:
- Nearly 65% of museum directors have experienced pressure not to include certain exhibitions or artworks.
- 45% reported pressure due to potentially offensive or controversial content.
- 41.3% expressed strong concern about future censorship from Republican officials, compared to only 3.3% for Democratic officials.