Julie Trébault is the Executive Director of the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC). Prior to joining PEN America to create ARC, she served as director of public programs at the Museum of the City of New York and the Center for Architecture. Before moving to New York, she worked at the National Museum of Ethnology in the Netherlands, where she built a network of 116 museums. From 2004 to 2007, she was Head of Higher Education and Academic Events at the Musée du quai Branly in Paris. She holds a master’s degree in arts administration from Sorbonne University and a master’s degree in archaeology from the University of Strasbourg.
In the summer of 2024, she led the spin-off of ARC from PEN America, establishing it as an independent organization. Under her leadership, ARC secured 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in the United States as well as official registration in France. She is a frequent speaker at international convenings, including UNESCO’s Mondiacult, the UN Human Rights Council, IFACCA, Documenta, and WOMEX. Her commentary on artistic freedom and cultural rights has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, the New York Times, Libération, The Art Newspaper, Hyperallergic, and the Associated Press. She has also authored op-eds and essays on censorship, cultural mobility, and the protection of artists worldwide.