A0 of Freedom

A0 of Freedom artist group believes that to find new narratives for the value of civil society we need to look in the darkest of places, and engage with people who are still able to use their voice despite the impossible context they operate in. The project, established in 2024, brought together a community of art activists from Central Asia to collaborate on a public exhibition of posters, forming a defiant call for the critical value of activists as agents for civil society. 

As many activists in Central Asia say, ‘Silence is very popular here’. Most activists are afraid to speak out. Negative, aggressive narratives against civil society have been used by the governments in the region for decades. So indeed we need new framing for the value of our civic work - and of activist artists ourselves. Posters themselves was a deliberate choice for the project medium, being a popular tool of propaganda - but here reclaimed for positive and inspiring messaging. 

The A0 of Freedom project is co-led by Diana Rakhmanova and Daria Cybulska. Diana is an artist, curator, art manager, researcher, activist, journalist, and the public foundation Cultural Center "Kuduk" in Bishkek. Daria is the Director of Programmes and Evaluation at Wikimedia UK, trustee at Global Dialogue, and in 2023/24 was awarded a Churchill Fellowship, investigating Central Asia’s online civil society and its resilience responses to a shrinking civic space. 

The project was supported by Elmira Kakabayeva who ran an autoethnography workshop for the participants to craft poster descriptions that resonate with their lived experience as artists and activists, and Caroline Sinders who delivered an online safety session.

Throughout 2025 the cohort met for monthly discussions, reflecting on the state of activism and art in Central Asia, comparing it to trends in the UK and US, and examining the role that art projects can play in sustaining resilience and creativity of the civil society. As artists keen on having an impact in their work, the group reflected on using simple, engaging language to communicate clear desires about a different, more open and inclusive world. This is to help their communities to dream of a seemingly impossible joyful future, and inspire people’s hearts towards action.