UN expert to speak at Scottish event on arts as a human right amid claims culture is 'weaponised'

An expert from the United Nations and the chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission are to join a panel of speakers at an event to highlight the importance of arts as a human right.

Alexandra Xanthaki, UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, will be interviewed at the event, Our Right to a Cultural Life in Scotland, on the international perspective of the issue by Bob Palmer, former director of culture and national heritage at the Council of Europe.

She will be joined at the event by a panel of speakers which also includes professor Angela O’Hagan, chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and cultural policy expert and academic, professor Justin O’Connor.

The event, at the Scottish Parliament and chaired by Arts27, will also showcase stories from artists whose lives have directly been affected by their cultural rights, from using art to explore their mixed heritage, to those who have fled unsafe regimes and continued to create art in their new home of Scotland.

Arts is a fundamental human right, Art27’s Scottish Parliament will hear.

In the context of the proposed Scottish Human Rights Bill, the event, the organisers said the event will provide the opportunity for open discussion and debate at a time when culture is being “weaponised” in Scotland.

Robert Rae, artist and founder of Art2, will also speak, as will Steve Byrne, chief executive of Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.

Helen Trew, chief executive ofArt27, said: “We are delighted to bring this conversation between the human rights and culture sector into the Scottish Parliament. At this moment when culture is being weaponised to bring division to our society and to undermine our democracy, we need to defend culture as a human right as never before.

“Our guests are experts in their field, bringing a wealth of artistic, legal and international policy experience to underline the significance of cultural rights as part of our social foundation and a driver of our national values. Culture is never neutral.”