Sydney Festival issues statement on escalating boycott over Israeli embassy funding

Sydney Festival has issued a statement following the withdrawal from its 2022 line-up of a number of artists and organisations over the festival’s decision to accept $20,000 from the Israeli Embassy to stage Decadence - a collaboration between Sydney Dance Company and Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin of Tel Aviv’s Batsheva Dance Company.

Festival Chair, David Kirk advised there had been meetings with concerned groups and “all funding agreements for the current Festival – including for Decadance, will be honoured, and the performances will proceed.”

However, Kirk made one small concession, adding “at the same time, the Board has also determined it will review its practices in relation to funding from foreign governments or related parties”.

Since Kirk’s statement was issued, two more artists have dropped out of the festival; comedian Tom Ballard and the Belvoir St Theatre.

Ballard tweeted this week, “I love the Festival and I love telling jokes but standing up for human rights and standing against a system of apartheid is more important.”

Artists and organisations who have withdrawn from this year’s Sydney Festival state the $20,000 funding contributes to the Israeli government’s oppression of Palestinians.

According to a statement released late December 2021 by the Palestinian Justice Movement Sydney, the sponsorship deal was sealed in May, the same month Israeli armed forces launched a series of air attacks on Gaza, killing a number of Palestinian civilians.

The statement advised “Palestine advocates call on all opponents of apartheid to boycott the 2022 Sydney Festival.

“By partnering with Israel, (the) Sydney Festival will … contribute to the normalisation of an apartheid state.”

On the eve of the festival and with the number of events dwindling, new director Olivia Ansell continued to remain optimistic advising “we’re all prepared. we have over 120 events proceeding in the festival, which employs 800 artists right across greater Sydney.”

When asked about the impact of the withdrawals on the Festival, Ansell deferred to Kirk’s statement. When asked whether she was concerned by a planned Disrupt the Festival protest at Circular Quay on opening night, Ansell also deferred to Kirk’s statement and added “you’ll note there that the position of the organisation is that we support all artists and their right to protest and all artists and their right to free speech.”

Festival co-organiser Fahad Ali said 16 shows had either withdrawn from the festival or been cancelled, with another seven disrupted as individuals joined the boycott and highlighted “if you lose 10% of your program, that equates to probably a loss of more than the sponsorship sum.”

Sydney Festival runs from 6th to 30th January.

For list of artists who have chosen to withdraw from the Sydney Festival 2022 go to instagram.com/boycottsydfest/

Image: Decadance - a collaboration between Sydney Dance Company and Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin of Tel Aviv’s Batsheva Dance Company. Credit Sydney Festival