CIVICUS speaks to Daria Cybulska about her 2024 Churchill Fellowship field research in Central Asia, where she explored how civil society uses art, creativity and informal organising to survive, self-organise and push for change under increasing repression. Daria is Director of Programmes and Evaluation at Wikimedia UK, where she leads work on information literacy and knowledge equity in support of democratic participation. She’s also a trustee at Global Dialogue.

When civic space is severely restricted, art often becomes a vital tool for activism and resistance. In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, creative practices help people organise, support each other and challenge dominant narratives. Daria’s research shows how art nurtures critical thinking, creates much-needed spaces for connection and wellbeing and generates alternative stories that counter fear and stigma. Drawing on the experiences of artists, community groups and organisers, the study highlights the everyday strategies that help them navigate tightening restrictions while keeping their work alive.

What did your research reveal about the realities civil society faces in Central Asia?

Civic space is severely restricted across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Governments impose legal and practical barriers that affect every aspect of civil society work, including freedom of expression, media freedom and the rights to association and peaceful assembly. Human rights defenders and journalists are particularly exposed to harassment, arrest and imprisonment.

As governments move further towards authoritarian rule, restrictions continue to grow. In Uzbekistan, authorities are making it harder for civil society organisations (CSOs) to obtain state registration. In Tajikistan, they force organisations to close or push them to shut down. In Kyrgyzstan, the foreign agents law adopted last year generated widespread fear, causing some CSOs to dissolve and others to sharply limit their activities to avoid reprisals.

Governments also restrict freedom of expression by citing concerns about disinformation, extremism and threats to what they call traditional values. Across the region, authorities raid and close media outlets, block news websites and harass and detain journalists. They ban protests or deny them permission. Those who dare criticise the government or speak out about human rights face surveillance, threats, detention, unfair trials and prison.

How do activists navigate these restrictions?

Activists and CSOs are constantly adjusting their behaviour and ways of work. What is allowed today may be punished tomorrow, and the rules are rarely written down, clear or consistently applied. We describe this situation as dynamic oppression, where repression shifts constantly, keeping people uncertain and willing to self-censor out of fear. This can be harder to navigate than clearly defined authoritarian systems. Even people who were previously relatively safe, such as artists and bloggers, now find themselves operating in an increasingly dangerous space.

Language plays a key role in staying safe. In places such as Tajikistan, calling yourself an activist is seen as openly confrontational and therefore risky. Terms such as community organising can also attract unwanted attention. Many people choose safer labels and call themselves volunteers or describe their work as a social activity, even when this doesn’t reflect what they actually do.

This gap between how people identify and how they present themselves to the public reduces visibility and potential connections. It becomes harder for new people to discover civil society’s work or take part in debates. Still, quieter forms of organising take place and have an impact, even if they are less visible.

Why has art become such an important space for resistance and survival?

In authoritarian contexts where critical thinking isn’t welcomed, art offers alternative ways of speaking. Through indirect language, metaphors and symbolism, artists can express alternative ways of thinking while reducing personal risk. This flexibility makes art one of the few remaining spaces for public expression.

Art also helps develop a critical mindset. It introduces different ways of seeing the world without using political language. It reaches people who might reject traditional activist messages or never encounter them. Through art, civil society shares information, raises awareness and starts conversations that can slowly change how people think and their social norms.

Creative spaces also play a crucial emotional role. Many serve as breathing spaces where people, particularly those with alternative identities, feel accepted and safe. Sometimes their main value lies simply in allowing people to exist without fear. This is vital in societies where activists are vilified by governments, communities and, in some cases, their families.

Art allows activists to imagine positive futures of a different, more open and inclusive world. Instead of focusing only on repression and harm, creative practices make room for affirmation, care and hope, which are essential for long-term resilience.

How are creative practices shaping public debate and social attitudes?

Art can provide safe spaces for debates. In Kyrgyzstan, Theatre 705 hosts discussions on socially sensitive topics after its shows. These conversations are self-moderated and give audiences unique opportunities to reflect, disagree and develop critical thinking skills in ways that formal education rarely encourages.

Art shapes how people talk about difficult topics and help change beliefs and cultural norms. Exhibitions such as Feminnale in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan addressed domestic violence, sexuality and women’s labour. Organisers noticed that public discussions improved, as people gained more sophisticated language to talk about topics that are usually silenced.

Art can also shift how people understand social problems in ways that direct political messaging often can’t. Environmental art projects such as the Trash Festival in Bishkek combine art, research and personal experiences to raise awareness about environmental damage and pollution. By bringing people to landfills and polluted areas, these projects help them understand the problem through direct experience rather than just instruction.

How is civil society using art to counter negative narratives about their work?

Central Asian governments portray civil society as disruptive and opposed to traditional values. These narratives resonate in societies that value family, religion, respect for authority and social harmony. As a result, CSOs and independent media often face deep public mistrust.

Activists are commonly framed as being against everything: against traditions, the government and society itself. This leads to low public support for human rights work and broad acceptance of restrictive laws, such as foreign agents laws.

Art helps challenge these narratives by presenting activism as constructive rather than destructive. Creative approaches allow activists to communicate through beauty, care and shared cultural references, making their messages more relatable and less threatening. By changing how activism looks and feels, art helps rebuild legitimacy. It helps people see activists not as troublemakers, but as members of society who care about its future.

What support is needed to sustain artivism in restrictive contexts?

Creative and activist spaces must balance openness and safety. To protect themselves, they rely on trusted networks, which limits their reach. But if they become more visible, they risk being monitored and repressed by the government.

Funding is another major challenge. Many spaces survive through personal funds or informal donations. Local funding rarely exists, so international support plays a crucial role. But this support should recognise that the core impact of these initiatives is not their scale, but their endurance.

These spaces help people stay connected, protect their mental health and imagine alternatives in hostile environments. In closed contexts, supporting them isn’t optional: it allows civil society to continue existing.