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INSANE: 3 - The Real Truth

Creative Australia’s decisions should be peer reviewed and at arm’s length. Where did things go wrong?

For the past three weeks the arts have been dominated by a recent decision made by the board of Creative Australia. On February 7 it was announced Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino had been chosen as the artistic team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale in 2026.

The Conversation

Venice team reversal was racist, art awards judge says

The revocation of Australia's Venice Biennale team was racist, writer and judge of the postponed Asia Pacific Arts Awards Jinghua Qian says.

AAP

Creative Australia boss forced to refute rumour he had resigned as fallout over Khaled Sabsabi dumping continues

Adrian Collette sends all-staff email denying that he and the chair of Creative Australia’s board had quit amid calls for resignations

The Guardian - AU

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Greens call for scalps over dumping of biennale artists

The boss of Australia's arts funding body should be sacked after revoking an artist pair from a prestigious biennale, the Greens claim in an election manifesto.

AAP

Writers and artists are often politically outspoken – but when should we view an opinion or artwork as genuinely harmful?

Within public debate around free speech and its limits there has long been a view that artistic expression deserves especially rigorous protection. This is because it is a medium of indirect communication, open to multiple interpretations. There is a long tradition of art being used to critique society and politics.

The Conversation

Venice Biennale team wants apology as supporters rally

The artist and curator dumped from their Venice Biennale commission have called for Creative Australia to explain and apologise, as their supporters rally.

AAP

Khaled Sabsabi pledges to show Venice Biennale work despite Creative Australia decision to drop him

Artist and curator Michael Dagostino break silence following Creative Australia decision to withdraw them as representatives

The Guardian - AU

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Creative Australia Breaks Silence About Venice Biennale Scandal In Tense Senate Hearing

The agency has been fending off claims of political interference and censorship since it rescinded the selection of Western Sydney artist Khaled Sabsabi earlier this month.

Pedestrian.tv

Morning Mail: Kean hits back at ‘bullying’ of climate body, Musk backlash grows, Eurovision pick revealed

Climate Change chief pushes back at Coalition criticism; Creative Australia chiefs refuse to quit after grilling at Senate estimates

The Guardian - AU

Call for resignation of arts chief after fiery hearing

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for Creative Australia's chief executive to resign, over the decision to ditch the Venice Biennale team.

AAP

Venice Biennale pavilion could be empty, Creative Australia chief tells senators

Adrian Collette admits decision to drop Khaled Sabsabi risks having nothing on show but he and chair won’t quit

The Guardian - AU

From Creative Australia to Sydney writers’ festival, the direct threat facing the arts is coming from within

In this adapted extract from What’s the Big Idea? Louise Adler looks at the failure of Australian cultural leaders shying from risk and artistic vision – and letting the tail wag the dog

The Guardian - AU

Arts awards postponed amid Venice selection uproar

The Asia Pacific Arts Awards have been postponed, amid a row over the decision to ditch the team picked for the Venice Biennale.

AAP

Artists who represented Australia at Venice Biennale call for Khaled Sabsabi to be reinstated

Open letter from some of the country’s most distinguished artists ‘strongly protests’ at the removal of Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino

The Guardian - AU

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The Guardian - AU

‘This could have all been avoided’: how Creative Australia allowed itself to be blind-sided over its Venice Biennale pick

High-profile artists and curators stunned by Creative Australia’s swift abandonment of Khaled Sabsabi, the art community, and the complex nature of art itself

AAP

Venice row risks Aust's reputation, major gallery says

The Museum of Contemporary Art has become the first major gallery to publicly back the artistic team selected for Venice, then sensationally dumped.

AAP

Palestine protest gear in art a security risk, says NGA

Artworks featuring Palestine protest material have been covered up due to security risks, says the NGA. The gallery has been criticised by an Islamic peak body.

The Guardian - AU

Creative Australia says it won’t reinstate artist Khaled Sabsabi for Venice Biennale at tense all-staff meeting

Exclusive: The western Sydney artist was dropped from representing Australia just days after being selected

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AAP

Venice biennale winners 'appalled' at artist dumping

Australia's winners of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale have added their voices to calls to reinstate the nation's 2026 artistic team.

The Guardian - AU

‘No artist’ will want to represent Australia at Venice Biennale after Sabsabi dumped, former museum head says

Elizabeth Ann Macgregor says Tony Burke has questions to answer after Khaled Sabsabi’s offer was rescinded but the arts minister has denied involvement

AAP

Minister made phone call before Venice pick reversal

The arts minister spoke to the chief of Creative Australia after questions were asked in parliament about the artist chosen to go to the Venice Biennale.

The Guardian - AU

Albanese says RBA rate cut ‘won’t have an impact’ on timing of federal election – as it happened

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The Guardian - AU

Afternoon Update: more backlash over Biennale artist axing; NZ tourism campaign ridiculed; and what it’s like living with OCD

The abrupt dumping of Khaled Sabsabi from the event prompted artist Lindy Lee to quit the board of Creative Australia

The Conversation

Would Sidney Nolan be cancelled for painting Ned Kelly today? That’s what Creative Australia has done to Khaled Sabsabi

Despite the perceived outrage at Khaled Sabsabi’s depiction of Hassan Nasrallah in his 2007 work You, Australian art has long made subjects of outlaws and questionable figures. And it is all the richer for it.

The Guardian - AU

Tony Burke says he called Creative Australia chief executive before board meeting when Biennale selection rescinded

Arts minister – who has denied political interference – says chief executive told him the board would meet to discuss Khaled Sabsabi’s selection

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