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The Latest Breaking News from Khaled Sabsabi

Embattled Creative Australia boss served angry letters from staff and 600 literary figures amid Sabsabi fallout

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

The Guardian - AU

Restore Venice artist's name or be sued, says gallerist

Artist Khaled Sabsabi has suffered personally and professionally since Creative Australia rescinded his commission for the Venice Biennale, his gallerist says.

AAP

Morning Mail: Sabsabi’s Biennale ‘torture’, election candidates on Rednote, Trump tariff countdown

In an exclusive interview, Khaled Sabsabi blames Creative Australia for ‘dismantling’ his career; concern over Chinese language influencers on social media

The Guardian - AU

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Ditched art duo drum up cash for Venice project

After Creative Australia rescinded their Biennale commission, Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino are fundraising for an independent artwork in Venice instead.

AAP

Khaled Sabsabi show cancelled one month after sacking from Venice Biennale

Monash University has ‘indefinitely postponed’ upcoming exhibition at Monash University Museum of Art in Melbourne, after ‘consultation with our communities’

The Guardian - AU

Mass letter urges arts minister to act over Venice snub

Protests against the dumping of Australia's art team for the Venice Biennale continue, with hundreds of artists and curators demanding government action.

AAP

Who gets to be political in Australian art?

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for artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale was rescinded, the statement from Creative Australia’s board said their selection now posed “an unacceptable risk” and “could undermine our goal of bringing Australians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

The Conversation

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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

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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Pedestrian.tv

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.

AAP

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.

The Guardian - AU

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

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news in one place.

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AAP

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.

The Guardian - AU

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

Five Great Reads: the nuance of art, the pain of parental burnout and the mysteries of a velvet worm

Guardian Australia’s weekend wrap of essential reads from the past seven days, selected by Imogen Dewey

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

The Guardian - AU

National Gallery of Australia says it covered Palestinian flags on tapestry after security assessment

Critics say NGA decision ‘is nothing less than a disgraceful act of censorship’ that is ‘rooted in political cowardice’

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.

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