The Latest Breaking News from Khaled Sabsabi

Letters from staff expressed ‘complete lack of confidence in your ability to lead this organisation effectively’ and fears over participating in external inquiry

Artist Khaled Sabsabi has suffered personally and professionally since Creative Australia rescinded his commission for the Venice Biennale, his gallerist says.

When the invitation for artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale was rescinded, the statement from Creative Australia’s board said their selection now posed “an unacceptable risk” and “could undermine our goal of bringing Australians together”.

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

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

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.

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