Over 100 artists and activists from all over the globe are set to take part in the 4th INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ART FESTIVAL in New York City December 6 – 12 at Wild Project (195 E. 3rd Street in Manhattan). Set to coincide with International Human Rights Day which falls on December 10 every year, the Festival brings together artists with social and political leaders and the general public to imagine and implement a better, more caring world. Artists around the world speak truth to power — often alone, and at great personal risk. The INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ART FESTIVAL empowers their voices, activating a global audience of allies to support them in their struggle for social justice and human rights. Artists and activists from 24 countries including Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Haiti, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Singapore, South Korea, Uganda and Venezuela are represented in the 2021 festival.

Featuring dance, theatre, music, spoken word, comedy, circus, and film, the 4th INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ART FESTIVAL (produced by Tom Block) is a week-long series of advocacy events and performances at the intersection of art, activism and society. The full schedule can be viewed at www.ihraf.org. Tickets are $20 each, or $50 for a festival pass.

Some of the highlights of the festival include:

• “Short Play Festival” featuring 7 new theatrical works by playwrights Sam Affoumado, D. Lee Miller, Cate Wiley, Laura Gaspari, Tom Block, Zizi Azah Abdul Majid, Leonard Goodisman. Monday, December 6 at 7:30pm.

• “Celebration of Immigration” featuring an excerpt of a new play by Sara Farrington, new music by Luis D’Elias, a performance piece by Gabriel Torres and a dance piece on immigration by Axons Dance Company. Tuesday, December 7 at 7:30pm.

• “Shalom/Salaam” featuring Arabic-language songs by Call Me Córdoba, Moroccan music by Rachid Halihal and Richard Khuzami, comedy by Jewish Uzbek-American comedian Natan Badalov, and music by six-time Independent Music Award-winning musician and producer Rachael Sage. Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30pm.

• “Farm Arts Collective” featuring neo-beat post-punk liberation jazz by The Red Microphone and a theatrical spectacle addressing climate change and social justice by Farm Arts Collective (as recently featured in The New York Times). Saturday, December 11 at 3:30pm.

• “Celebration of Africa” featuring work by Ugandan poet-in-exile Razack Buwaso Ibrahim, Gambian griot Salieu Suso’s dance/music troupe Jalikunda and a presentation by Wole Adedoyin, President of the IHRAF African Secretariat in Ibadan, Nigeria. Saturday, December 11 at 7:30pm.

The 2021 Festival also features the Art of Unity Creative Award and performances from Aseemkala Initiative, Jessica Litwak, Valerie Green/Dance Entropy, Teresa Fellion Dance, Ellen Mandel, Michael Lydon, Jessica Crandall, LatticeWorks Dance, Catey Clark, Dancers Unlimited, Amy Liou, Sayoko Kojima, Gabrielle Senza, Maggie Munday Odom, Robin Hirsch, Philippe Garcesto, Laurel Snyder, Steven Hoffen, and Dubbs Weinblatt’s Thank You For Coming Out, among others.

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ART FESTIVAL began in 2010 under the auspices of Amnesty International. In its past 3 seasons, the Festival has presented over 125 performances featuring over 500 artists. Past participants, honorary co-sponsors and speakers include National Medal of the Arts winner Norman Lear; Kathleen Turner; Senator Charles E. Schumer; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand; Senator Bernie Sanders; Congressman and Civil Rights Hero John Lewis (GA); Barbra Streisand, Amy Poehler, Nigerian human rights activist and founder of Sahara Reporters Sowore Omoyele; Chinese human rights activist and recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, Wei Jingsheng; NYC Commissioner of Human Rights Carmelyn Malalis, Circus Amok, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and many others.