In many cases of violation of artistic freedom, artists voices are suppressed on grounds of racial hatred or racial discrimination. Monuments, sculptures, murals, and other artistic installations erected in public spaces which speak about systematic discrimination experienced by different cultural, ethnic, or racial minority groups are often subject to physical damage and destruction.

In some contexts, racial discrimination presented through artistic expressions has systematically been subject to censorship on the pretext of alleged ‘offensive’ or ‘graphic’ content. This is particularly present when artists address the issue of police brutality against minority groups through their artistic work. Racial discrimination has been also evident in travel restrictions imposed by some countries. Artists’ access to freedom of movement and cultural exchange with colleagues abroad often gets restricted when they are caught up in political conflicts resulting in economic and other diplomatic sanctions.