Alison Russo is the Founding Director of the Artist Protection Fund (APF) at the Institute of International Education. Since 2015, she has led the creation and expansion of APF, a pioneering global initiative that supports threatened artists and champions artistic freedom and freedom of expression. Under her leadership, APF has become a leading model in the field, offering critical support through fellowships, partnerships, and advocacy.
An interdisciplinary artist and collaborator, Alison’s work spans site-specific performance, integrated media, civic engagement, and arts-based humanitarian projects. She has developed projects across the U.S., Europe, the Balkans, and East Africa, and has cultivated a global network of artists and institutions dedicated to cultural resilience and creative freedom.
Alison holds an MFA from California Institute of the Arts and is an honors graduate of the University of Connecticut.
