Benjamin Law resigns from Sydney Festival board amid review into Israeli sponsorship

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Author and journalist Benjamin Law has resigned from the board of the Sydney Festival in light of a sponsorship deal by the Israeli embassy that sparked a boycott of the festival by dozens of artists.

“While I can’t speak for the board or the festival, I am personally sorry to Sydney festival artists and arts workers that you were put in a position where you may have had to choose between your work and values, or thrust into conversations for which you may have felt unprepared,” Law said in a long statement.

“In all of this, I’ve done my best to serve the festival, advocate for artists and help facilitate difficult but necessary conversations,” he wrote. "This has put significantly increased pressure on all members of the board, the staff, and most importantly, artists.” Law said the Sydney Festival board will commission an independent review into the festival’s funding and existing practices.

 

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It is in truth anti Chinese sentiment. The Israelis have done a lot for humanity

Legend Truth bravery

I remember this guy. He is the one who brought kilos of oranges from Woolworth mistakenly during the lockdown. 😂

It's all German to me or is that Double Dutch

Any artist who cannot confront, debate, dialogue with, be on the same stage with people or ideas they most profoundly disagree with is no real artist at all.

I assume these artists are also going to protest the Australian govts treatment of asylum seekers and First Nations people and refuse any govt funding for their projects

As Australia is on HumanRightsWatch list for human rights abuses he among the other boycotters should never be involved with any festival funded by the Federal Govt. SBSNews Sydney Festival mrbenjaminlaw australian GuardianAus auspol

Should HAVE done earlier

Sad that it had to be made into a political issue instead of fun festival for us… so very tired of Middle East conflicts being imported into country 🤦🏻‍♀️

Another mistake by Mr Law. A man who really has no idea of right and wrong and lives his life showing it.

Who would anti semitism was so strong. Now I understand how a race of people, thousands of years in existence can be bullied & ostricized by attention seeking & virtue signalling morons.

Israel is the terrorist state. Most have no idea what they are responsible for. Iraq, Syrian war they were behind. All they do is start wars and blame it on everyone else. Half my family is Jewish so i know both sides. Including some that serve in Israel military.

He actually addressed this earlier on today. Well worth a read esp those criticising him for either 'staying' originally or 'bailing' now 🙄 This is just 1/4

Injustice Sir !

He's been outwoked 🤪

Sitting on the board and saying nothing all month, then running when the boycott gets too big. I'm sure Archbishop Tutu would think this bourgeois 'activist' a clear example of 'perpetuating injustice' and 'having chosen the side of the oppressor.'

How many of the luvvies pearl clutching about this know *anything* about the Israel/Palestine issue. None.

I look forward to seeing the scrutiny on a range of sponsors of cultural events in the future - though I am not holding my breath that it will happen.

Good riddance. The Sydney Festival board needs to replace him with a Jew who isn't in bed with BDS, Hamas etc. Or does 'inclusion' really mean exclusion of Jews?

Who cares? 🤣🤣

Sounds like he was hounded out by a baying mob.

'Law had been criticised on social media for not acknowledging the backlash against the festival.' A forced resignation of sorts.

Oh good 👍 there is always someone to replace everyone 👋

He doesn’t say why he resigned. Doesn’t admit accountability. As a board member, he had a key duty: oversight. Board Chair David Kirk said the first the Board knew of the sponsorship was when it appeared in the brochure. The Board, including Ben, failed their governance duty.

Nobody cares

Better late than never

Just get someone to replace them, the arts are so woke it needs a shake up

Well done 👏🏼👏🏼

Zero fucks given sorry

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Benjamin Law quits Sydney Festival board following Israeli funding controversyThe author and journalist had faced criticism on social media in recent weeks for not acknowledging the artists’ boycott. No great loss. Ladies and gentlemen, Dirty Benny. The bloke who tweeted he wanted to ‘hate fk’ politicians who disagreed with him on gay marriage. Sordid! Rude tweets still available via google. What was he doing on the board in the first place.
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‘Just a miss’: Sydney festival chair apologises after Israeli embassy sponsorship sparks boycottDavid Kirk admits he was unaware of deal until he noticed the Israeli government logo on the program in November 1. Sponsorship of arts, cultural & entertainment events by foreign governments is OK when its overt, transparent & clearly about cultural awareness & self promotion e.g. Chinese gov sponsored dance troop performing in Aus or Aus arts co. sponsored by gov to perform o/s Apologising to anti-semites, that's just weak and pathetic Haha you expect us to believe that.
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‘We have to do better’: Sydney Festival chair apologises but says boycott funding won’t be returnedThe chairman of the Sydney Festival board says it will not hand back sponsorship money from the Israeli embassy that sparked the withdrawal of dozens of shows and artists in protest | LindaMorrissmh LindaMorrissmh 🇮🇱 LindaMorrissmh Sorry, next year we’ll hit up the Australian Council for Peaceful Unification of China. LindaMorrissmh The Western insanity has spread Down Under. Boycotts target democracies (Israel has a 20% Muslim population with full voting rights and representation in govt), but never do this to real tyrannical regimes that could do the boycotters real harm - the CCP's China, Putin's Russia
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