Arts in the UN Space Has a Whiteness and Expertise Problem

For over two decades, I have worked to advocate for genuine artist representation within the United Nations, creating platforms where diverse voices could be amplified on the global stage. Despite ongoing efforts, however, progress in the UN’s arts space remains limited.

Rather than evolving into a truly inclusive arena, the arts sector has become a tightly controlled echo chamber led by the same voices that reinforce outdated, ineffective narratives. A lack of diversity, relevant industry experience, and a true understanding of creative freedom undercuts these efforts, stalling the progress needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and deepen global representation.

The recent Summit of the Future offered a vital opportunity for the UN to reform its approach to multilateralism and harness the creative economy’s untapped potential to advance the SDGs. Creatives bring unique cultural insights, catalyze awareness, and have a profound ability to inspire and evoke the need for change. But this potential can only be fully realized if artists and creatives have authentic representation within the UN’s decision-making structures. Unfortunately, the recent handling of several high-profile initiatives reveals deep-rooted issues that restrict creativity and reinforce privilege — mirroring the failures of other well-intentioned but ultimately misguided advocacy efforts like Kony 2012.

The Tokenism Trap: How UN Arts Initiatives Echo Kony 2012’s Mistakes

Kony 2012 was intended as a passionate, global call to action, led by young, well-meaning white activists. Yet, it failed spectacularly because it oversimplified complex issues and missed critical voices from the communities it purported to serve.

Similarly, the UN’s arts programming is falling into a tokenistic trap. Rather than embracing the authentic voices of diverse creatives, the UN’s arts space remains dominated by privileged individuals who often lack the necessary experience in the arts sector. The outcome is that these initiatives, however well-intentioned, echo the same white savior complex and tokenism that undermined Kony 2012’s goals.

Take, for example, The Museum for the UN — UN Live, which, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place, is positioned as a primary platform for artists aspiring to contribute to global change. In theory, this museum could offer a significant avenue for creatives. Yet, instead of fostering true inclusion, UN Live reflects a pattern of privilege and favoritism that limits genuine diversity. The museum’s CEO, Katja Iversen has been publicly accused by over 100 young leaders of fostering a racist, toxic environment for young people of color, with former employees describing her as “dictatorial.” Despite these accusations, she continues to lead without any transparency or accountability.

Her unchecked power became evident when she blacklisted me from the 100 Davos Women WhatsApp group — a move that speaks to the privilege she wields despite having no relevant experience in arts or culture. These actions reveal the dangers of placing unqualified individuals in high-impact roles, reinforcing privilege rather than creating an inclusive space.

The museum’s founding further reflects this imbalance. Co-founded by a white European male artist and a former, white male UNOPS staff member, UN Live’s leadership was established by those with access to exclusive UN networks, while artists of color or leaders from underrepresented communities were largely excluded. This lack of diverse perspectives isn’t merely a missed opportunity; it’s a structural issue that limits the UN’s ability to foster a truly global artistic narrative. Unless the Museum’s procedures to fairly determine artists for collaborations, another MOU should be instituted or this one removed and an official UN Arts office created.

Art2030, another organization favored by Melissa Fleming, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, illustrates this problem further. A recent UNGA79 video from Art2030 highlights a lack of diversity and unchecked white privilege within the UN arts space. In one segment, an artist recounts dressing up as a seal to “feed a baby seal” — a spectacle that trivializes serious conservation issues and echoes the superficial gestures seen in Kony 2012. When privileged individuals drive advocacy narratives without real creative or cultural insight, campaigns risk becoming shallow performances rather than impactful, substantive movements.

The Problem of Authority, Authenticity, and Restraints on Artistic Freedom

Another crucial issue is that many of the speakers representing the UN’s arts initiatives lack the authority, passion, and authenticity needed to engage audiences. Artists and creatives communicate in a language unlike that of diplomats; they are bold, emotional, and provocative. It is this raw expressiveness that has the power to change hearts and minds. Yet, when the UN’s arts initiatives replace these voices with CEOs or comms specialists — they diminish the very value that the arts could bring to global advocacy.

In many cases, speakers without real expertise or passion lead UN arts initiatives, delivering uninspired messages that fail to resonate. Instead of enabling artists to speak boldly within respectful diplomatic protocols, the UN’s approach dampens the impact that genuine creative expression could have on audiences by relegating them only to entertainment, not the creative thinkers and problem solvers we are. By sidelining artists or only allowing them to contribute in tightly controlled ways, the UN’s arts programs fall short of what they could achieve if creatives were given the freedom to bring their unique voices to these critical global conversations.

The Undervaluing of Professional Curators and Creatives

My own experience within the UN arts space has highlighted the systemic undervaluing of experienced creatives and curators. I was asked, for example, to help curate a Jamaican artist for the Good Ancestors exhibition because the official curators lacked access to a broader network of artists of color. Despite my contributions, I was excluded from credit on three occasions — twice as a curator and once as a speaker. This oversight reflects a wider issue within the UN, where professional curators and seasoned creatives are often marginalized, with industry standards for credit and acknowledgment ignored.

This lack of professional insight also extends to major UN campaigns. For example, the recently launched “Sounds | Right” initiative aims to support conservation efforts by promoting “nature as an artist.” While the intent is commendable, without input from experienced creatives, the initiative risks trivializing both nature and artists. Furthermore, the UN partnered with Spotify for this campaign, a platform notorious for underpaying artists — a problem so severe it’s led to congressional hearings.

This issue was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when the UN’s SDG Hub issued a creative brief requesting free artwork from artists — many of whom were financially struggling — so that mega-corporations like Facebook and the BBC could use their art pro bono. While perhaps intended to inspire, campaigns like this harm artists’ livelihoods when there’s no recognition of the economic realities they face or the industry standards that protect their work.

A Path Forward: Transparent Selection, Accountability, and an Artist-Led Advisory Group

If the UN’s arts initiatives are to have meaningful impact on the SDGs, they must prioritize diversity, transparency, and respect for the unique voices that artists bring. Imagine the impact if the UN’s arts programs were guided by an advisory group of diverse, seasoned artists, curators, and cultural professionals — those with lived experience in the creative industries who understand both the emotional depth of the arts and the practical challenges faced by artists. Such a group could provide essential guidance, ensuring that campaigns are not only impactful but also fair, ethical, and artist-centered.

The Summit of the Future presented a critical opportunity for the UN to realign its arts initiatives with these principles, emphasizing transparent selection processes, equitable representation, and accountable leadership. To achieve this vision, the UN must adopt procurement-like standards in its arts programming, where roles and partnerships are awarded based on expertise, experience, and a commitment to equity — not privilege. A fair selection process would allow diverse creatives to engage on equal footing, moving beyond tokenism and fostering genuine inclusivity.

My own career as a 20-year Asian American, Emmy-winning filmmaker and curator, Founder of Create2030 and Global Co-Chair of the UN CSC ImPACT Coalition on Arts and Culture has focused on advancing underrepresented voices in the arts. Through curating exhibitions, serving as a speaker, and advocating for ethical practices, I’ve consistently encountered systems that prioritize privilege over professionalism. My experience has shown that the UN arts space too often mirrors the limitations of initiatives like Kony 2012, prioritizing spectacle over substance and privilege over genuine representation.

Reform in the UN’s arts space isn’t just about adding representation; it’s about creating a sustainable ecosystem where art and advocacy intersect meaningfully. Without transparency and accountability, tokenism and privilege will continue to dominate, replicating the power imbalances the UN claims to dismantle. The Summit of the Future could serve as a pivotal moment for the UN to commit to transparency, professionalism, and ethical collaboration in the arts. True progress will only come when artists are empowered to contribute their bold, unique voices within respectful frameworks that honor both their creative freedom and professional rights.

The creative economy offers the UN a unique chance to foster advocacy that resonates globally and advances the SDGs. But to achieve this, the UN arts space needs qualified, representative, and ethically grounded leadership — an arts space that doesn’t reflect the power imbalances it seeks to challenge but instead becomes a model of equity, justice, and true inclusion.