In light of recent events, including the detention of artist and activist Ai Weiwei; the sacking of Jack Persekian as the Director of the Sharjah Biennial for the content of one work in the exhibition; and the censorship of AAA’s Mobile Library project, Open Edit at Sàn Art independent art space in Ho Chi Minh City, AAA has set up an email forum to invite art professionals to address issues on art and social change. AAA asked several individuals to begin the forum by thinking about a few questions: Can art affect social change, and how? When does it work? When does it fail? What are the roles of artists and arts institutions in a country like China where freedom of speech and expression are restricted? What is the social and political role of the artist? What can and should the regional arts community do when an individual artist is singled out by the state? Below, please find the first round of email correspondences from 12-30 April.