Freedom of expression charity Index on Censorship has been awarded a £100,000 grant from Arts Council England.
The funding will support workshops for boards and senior management of arts organisations across England and Wales on issues of censorship and self-censorship on programming, fundraising and managing controversy.
The workshops, which will be delivered with Cause4 and the What Next? movement will focus on practical ways to support freedom of expression and will develop ongoing research and guidance projects.
Index has published a series of law and freedom of expression guidance booklets entitled "Art and Offence" and also guidelines for the police service on issues faced by arts venues presenting controversial work.
Research on censorship faced by arts groups in England and Wales will result in the publication of a report on the topic.
Simon Mellor, deputy chief executive, Arts Council England, said, “some of our greatest art has, over our history, been created by artists taking on the important issues of their day… We need to do all we can to create the conditions in which today’s artists can continue to provoke and challenge.
"The Arts Council is pleased to be supporting this important project by Index on Censorship which will support arts and cultural organisations to help artists take risks, be provocative and, hopefully, create great art.”