The Music in Exile Fund springs directly from witnessing the struggles of musicians in Mali following a ban on all music imposed in 2012, as seen in the award-winning documentary They Will Have To Kill Us First.  Radio stations were destroyed, instruments burned and Mali’s musicians faced torture, even death. 

The producers of the film, along with leading freedom of expression charity Index on Censorship have launched this fund to support musicians facing threats, violence, exile and criminal prosecution around the world.

The fund will contribute to Index On Censorship’s year-long Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship Programme, supporting at least one nominated musician or group and giving access to bespoke training and continued support to create, perform and share their work in a safe environment. 

We welcome all donations to help us support threatened musicians from around the world who are fighting against censorship and standing up for their cultural heritage and identity.