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Fall of Freedom is holding hundreds of art and cultural events across the United States from Oct. 2 through Oct. 4. The program includes performances, public artworks, exhibitions and workshops; organizers describe the initiative as a collective response to the Trump administration’s policies and actions affecting the arts and free expression.
Fall of Freedom, an arts and activism initiative, is returning with hundreds of events across the United States from Oct. 2 through Oct. 4. The second annual program features performances, exhibitions, concerts, public artworks and workshops, and organizers say it brings artists and cultural groups together in opposition to the Trump administration’s policies and influence on arts and free expression.
Among the program’s anchor events is “Undersiege,” a production conceived by playwrights Lynn Nottage and Dominique Morisseau. It brings together monologues from more than 40 Black women and femmes and is scheduled to be presented by the National Black Theatre and the Studio Museum in Harlem at the uptown museum on Friday, Oct. 2.
Other listed events include a Roger Guenveur Smith one-man show at New York Theatre Workshop honoring painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, and a zine-making workshop in Little Rock, Arkansas. At the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a gathering will invite participants to bring and share stories about the institution. The program also includes concerts, readings, exhibitions and salons, according to the initiative’s organizers and the report by Hyperallergic.
Fall of Freedom was organized by cultural workers including artists Dread Scott and Jenny Polak, playwright Nottage, and writer and curator Laura Raicovich. Organizers held the initiative’s first edition last November and expanded the effort with nationwide arts and activism events around May Day earlier this year.
Artists Organize Against Federal Pressure
The events offer a coordinated platform for artists and cultural organizations to present work and gather audiences amid disputes over the federal government’s role in arts institutions, funding and public expression. The program does not itself change policy, but its spread across multiple cities gives participating groups a way to make shared opposition visible through performances, workshops and public events.
Organizers connect the initiative to actions they describe as attacks on the arts and speech. Hyperallergic reported that their concerns include President Donald Trump’s effort to put his name on the Kennedy Center, threats involving Smithsonian funding and programming, and attention directed at public artworks. These are the organizers’ framing of the political circumstances; the event announcement does not establish the outcome of those disputes.
The range of formats also matters. Alongside major performances, community workshops and local programs make participation possible beyond established museums and theaters. The events may bring artists, cultural workers and audiences into conversation, though their attendance and practical impact are not yet known.
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From Last Year to This Fall
The initiative’s name plays on both the season and the uncertainty organizers associate with the current political climate. Its inaugural program took place last November. Organizers later staged events nationwide around May Day, before expanding the fall program to hundreds of actions.
Last year’s activities included a dance protest at the Kennedy Center, according to Hyperallergic. This year’s Kennedy Center gathering takes a different form, asking participants to share personal stories about the institution. The schedule also ranges from performance and exhibitions to zine-making, a format that organizers say is under scrutiny by the administration.
The program’s organizers have presented art not only as cultural expression but as a means of collective resistance. That position is reflected in the lineup, which pairs work by established artists and playwrights with locally organized activities. The events are connected by their place in the initiative, but each is organized and presented by participating cultural groups.
““Fascism in the United States is advancing and metastasizing.””
— Dread Scott, artist and Fall of Freedom organizer, speaking to Hyperallergic
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Attendance and Outcomes Remain Unknown
The announced schedule establishes the initiative’s dates and several featured events, but the available report does not give a complete event-by-event list, projected attendance or confirmed participation totals. It is also not clear how many of the hundreds of activities will be open to the public, or whether any schedule changes will occur.
The broader effects of the events are uncertain. Organizers describe the program as a response to government actions affecting the arts, but the report does not quantify any effect on public policy, institutional decisions or funding. Specific claims about administration actions and their consequences should be evaluated separately from organizers’ stated aims.
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Events Begin October 2
The nationwide program is scheduled to run from Oct. 2 through Oct. 4, with the “Undersiege” performance among its opening events. Organizers and participating cultural institutions are expected to carry out their listed activities over the weekend. Further details about turnout, any changes to the schedule and the initiative’s reach may emerge as the events take place.
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Key Questions
What is Fall of Freedom?
Fall of Freedom is an arts and activism initiative organized by cultural workers and presented through events hosted by artists and cultural organizations. Its program includes performances, exhibitions, concerts, workshops and public artworks.
When and where will the events take place?
The second annual program is scheduled for Oct. 2–4 at venues and locations across the United States. The available report identifies events in New York, Little Rock and Washington, D.C., among others, but does not provide a complete schedule.
What are some of the featured events?
Listed events include “Undersiege,” a production with monologues from more than 40 Black women and femmes; a Roger Guenveur Smith show honoring Jean-Michel Basquiat; a zine-making workshop in Little Rock; and a story-sharing gathering at the Kennedy Center.
What do organizers say the initiative is responding to?
Organizers describe Fall of Freedom as a response to what they see as growing pressure on the arts and freedom of expression under the Trump administration. Those statements reflect the organizers’ position; the report does not establish the outcomes of the policy and institutional disputes they cite.
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