Sydney Writers’ Festival Chair Resigns Over Middle East “Tussle”
Image: Sydney Writers' Festival Bookshop.
The chair of the Sydney Writers’ Festival has quit with only weeks to go until the announcement of the speaking program, citing concerns that the annual event fails to present a range of opinions on issues such as Israel’s genocide on the Palestinian people.
Kathy Shand, who had been on the board for 12 years, and chair for two, is believed to have delivered her resignation to her fellow members in recent days. Her replacement, Robert Watkins, didn’t offer any information as to why she had stepped down, only thanking her for her “leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment” to the festival.
However, two sources “familiar with the festival’s operations” told the Sydney Morning Herald there had been a “tussle” going on for years, over the “emphasis placed on showcasing a diversity of views on issues such as the Middle East conflict and geopolitics”.
The program was set to be announced on March 13, with the festival to begin May 19.
Guardian Australia was briefed about the 2025 program prior to Shand’s resignation, and had independently confirmed it includes multiple influential Jewish and Palestinian writers and thinkers.
“Artistic freedom and independence are to be guarded and cherished,” Shand wrote in her resignation statement. “But freedom of expression cannot and should not be used as a justification to accept language and conversations that compromise the festival as a safe and inclusive space for all audiences.
“Every session that is planned needs to reflect the values of the festival and represent the highest standard of consideration and curation.
“The reputation of the Sydney Writers’ Festival has been hard won and is well deserved. This needs to be protected and great care needs to be taken with the stages that carry the imprimatur of the festival. At a time when cultural organisations are faced with challenges I wish the festival well.”
Festival assures “plurality of views” will be heard
Shand, who is Jewish, is a board member of the Sydney Jewish museum, and a former co-publisher of the Australian Jewish News.
“The Sydney Writers’ Festival proudly champions freedom of expression, freedom of speech and respectful debate,” said Watkins in a statement.
“The Board firmly believes that the 2025 festival program, scheduled for announcement on March 13th, will demonstrably reflect the festival’s ongoing commitment to presenting a plurality of voices, a diversity of thought, and a program that will deeply engage our audience. This includes both Jewish and Palestinian writers and thought leaders. The Board are united and supportive of the 2025 program.”
This is not the first time an Australian writers festival has been destabilised by politics. Last year, the deputy chair of the Melbourne Writers Festival board, Dr Leslie Reti, resigned when a scheduled poetry session featured Aboriginal and Palestinian poets speaking to the experience of colonisation.
Dr Reti described the program as “historically untrue and deeply offensive”.
Shand’s resignation comes in the midst of Creative Australia’s decision to rescind their nomination for Lebanese-born artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Micheal Dagostino to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale.
Just six days after the selection was announced, the choice faced criticism at question time in parliament last week, with Liberal Senator Claire Chandler citing Sabsabi’s previous work as reasons for his ineligibility, which includes a 2006 video depicting the 9/11 attacks, and a 2007 work that features former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
