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The Latest Breaking News from Creative Australia

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.

AAP

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Elizabeth Ann Macgregor says Tony Burke has questions to answer after Khaled Sabsabi’s offer was rescinded but the arts minister has denied involvement

The Guardian - AU

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.

AAP

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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 Guardian - AU

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 Conversation

Tony Burke says he called Creative Australia chief executive before board meeting when Biennale selection rescinded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

The Guardian - AU

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Creative Australia Facing Backlash & Inquiry Demands As Venice Biennale Furore Deepens

“To award the submission to two of Australia’s great creative minds, only to revoke it six days later after political interference sets a dangerous precedent."

Pedestrian.tv

Demands for inquiry into dumping of Aust Venice art duo

How and why did Creative Australia uninvite the team it picked for the Venice Biennale? There are calls for an independent inquiry to find out.

AAP

Embattled casino operator Star offered $650m lifeline – as it happened

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The Guardian - AU

Artist Lindy Lee quits Creative Australia board after ‘heartbreaking’ decision to dump Biennale pick

Lee calls unanimous decision a ‘violation’ of principle of valuing an artist’s voice

The Guardian - AU

Creative Australia hit by resignations over decision to withdraw Khaled Sabsabi from Venice Biennale

Visual arts head Mikala Tai and program manager Tahmina Maskinyar resign in support of Lebanese-born artist

The Guardian - AU

‘A shameful call by Creative Australia’: the arts community reacts to Khaled Sabsabi being dropped from the Venice Biennale

To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, as has now happened to the 2026 team of Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino, is without precedent.

The Conversation

Aussie Venice picks 'extremely hurt' after being dumped

The artist and curator who were to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale say they are hurt and disappointed, after their selection was reversed.

AAP

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The Guardian - UK

Khaled Sabsabi dropped as Australia’s representative to Venice Biennale

Amid political pressure, Creative Australia says deselecting the Lebanese-born artist will avoid ‘divisive debate’

AAP

Creative Australia ditches Venice Biennale artistic duo

Arts funding body Creative Australia has dumped the artist and curator it selected to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale.

AAP

Western Sydney artist duo represent Australia at Venice

A pair of western Sydney art-makers, visual artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino, will represent Australia at next year's Venice Biennale.

AAP

Sculpture by the Sea scuppered, 'feels like a funeral'

A lack of funding has forced organisers to cancel a popular seaside sculpture exhibition that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to a city beach.

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The Conversation

Raygun is now Australia’s most famous dancer. What does she reveal about our own attitudes towards dance?

The inclusion of breaking in the 2024 Olympic Games certainly raised eyebrows. And now, Australian competitor Rachael Gunn (known as “Raygun”) is one of the most famous Olympians from any nation – as well as Australia’s most famous dancer.

The Conversation

Sports policy focuses on the grassroots – is this missing from arts policies?

Every election, state and federal, we can expect to see plenty of politicians wearing sporting scarves, attending footy games and posing with elite athletes.

AAP

Funding woes put ballet school at risk of curtain call

Queensland Ballet's academy faces the prospect of closure, say the dance company's leaders who are calling for more federal funding to ensure its survival.

The Conversation

The budget has earmarked $8.6 million for live music. Is it enough to save the flailing industry?

Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector.

AAP

Struggling music festivals offered funding lifeline

Years of weak ticket sales and soaring costs have brought Australian music festivals to their knees, but the government's budget may provide a ray of hope.

The Guardian - AU

A woman, middle-aged and struggling to pay bills: home truths in portrait of Australian artists

A survey for Creative Australia reveals men outnumbered two to one with the split rising to four to one in the literary scene

The Guardian - UK

Artwork commemorating Indigenous Australian history triumphs in Venice

Prize for best national participation goes to Archie Moore, who becomes first Australian artist to win it

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