When art and politics collide: The battles tearing our cultural bodies apart
Politics tamfitronics Sackings, boycotts, sponsorship withdrawals: arts organisations across the country are in turmoil. So who has the right to say what?Australia’s arts institutions are tearing themselves apart. They have long been a key battleground in the so-called culture wars – but since the Hamas terror attacks of October 7 and the retaliation by Israel that has followed, the tension over the relationship between art and politics has never been more evident.On one side are those who insist art is about aesthetics and appreciation, a space to contemplate beauty and refinement and brilliance. On the other are those who argue art and politics cannot be separated – and any attempt to do so is a political act, born of a particular kind of privilege.A concert featuring pianist Jayson Gillham was recently cancelled by former...
