Freedom of Speech in Our Arts Scene: Part 1
Originally published on The JOLT News on September 23rd, 2025
Regardless of where you lean politically, everybody’s freedom of speech felt threatened last week in one way or another. If you are anything like me, you have begun to ask a lot of questions. These were the questions I had:
Will the threats toward freedom of speech reach the Thurston County arts scene?
Why is freedom of speech so important to creating art?
How can we as a community continue to support freedom of speech?
Rather than give you my ideas, I decided to reach out to every artist I know and ask for their thoughts. I found their answers illuminating and inspiring, and I think you will too.
Is our arts scene in danger?
“The federal government pulling arts funding is a direct attack on freedom of speech. So of course it has reached Thurston County. Theater teaches us free thinking, empathy, puts both the audience and the actor in someone else's shoes who may not look or think the same way we do. Those are exactly the kinds of things the current administration is dead set on killing.” — Pug Bujeaud, funding member and artistic director of Theater Artists Olympia
“I believe that if the current administration is allowed to proceed on their course unchallenged, then every aspect of arts and media will be affected. Whether or not artists can sustain courage under fire, is unanswerable, but courage is what is necessary. Speak loud and speak true.” — John Serembe, actor, graphic designer and publisher of OLY ARTS magazine
“I think the most foolish position that one can take in our present times is that of prognosticator, so I won't really venture a serious opinion on whether we will see threats on freedom of speech coming to us here ultra Blue government loving Olympia. I do think that we on the left should keep a good dialogue going regarding our own tendencies to censor opinions and speakers we disagree with, because regrettably what goes around clearly comes around. As a community, I think it's important for people to question where they get their entertainment from, and how much they want to support large corporate entities that have been showing themselves to be easily compromised and told to bend the knee at authoritarian pressure. If it's important to you to have art that doesn't just follow governmental dictates, get out and see some created by your friendly neighborhood artists.” —John Longenbaugh, writer, director and producer
“Artists influence what conversations are held. If you can control artists, you can limit the spread of ideas. At the very least, when high profile figures are attacked for saying things that displease the current party, it’s hard for it to be done without invoking a significant backlash. As to the question of freedom of speech in Thurston County, the broader cuts to arts funding that have already impacted organizations in the area as an attack that's already happened. You can't speak freely if you can't put on shows at all.” — Xander Layden, actor and playwright
Additional reflections
“Ancient Greece inspired both our contemporary theatre and democracy. The Greek playwrights spoke truth to power in a forum where citizens, local officials, military leaders and political representatives gathered. The theatre was valued as a forum for democracy. In our mediatized culture, theater remains a public forum for the exchange of ideas and diverse perspectives that represent and challenge the spirit of the age. Those in power who have feared the free exchange of ideas, have also censored and prohibited theater because theater activates free speech; because theater generates speech acts and speech acts are catalysts for reflection, community building, questioning of the status quo, and rehearsing real world change. Those who are afraid of our gathering and speaking are trying to make us afraid to speak. Instead, we shall practice theatre as a democratic practice, and speak truth to power.” — Lauren Love, theater professor
“I think we as artists making a living with our work, walk a very fine line in the political world. I choose to make a body of work that was and is critical of the right. I saw this coming four years ago, but here we are. No leaders with oceans of money have emerged on the left to help us balance. All I can do is keep making art. My “Cats on Couches” series is my way of slapping the Vance minions every chance I get. And yes. I’m afraid.” — Roxanna Groves, artist
Note: See Roxanna Groves, “Canaries in the Coal Mine” for her visual representation of the discussion of freedom of speech.
https://www.thejoltnews.com/stories/intheaudience-freedom-of-speech-in-our-arts-scene-part-1,26501