Sydney Biennale offers preview to Jewish leader amid anti-Zionist concerns
The Biennale of Sydney has sought to ease tensions with Jewish community groups by issuing formal anti-discrimination commitments and inviting a senior Jewish representative to an advance preview of its 2026 exhibition.
The festival, running from March 14 to June 14, 2026, this week published a Cultural Safety Commitment Statement declaring “zero tolerance for any form of racism including Islamophobia and antisemitism, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny and all forms of discrimination”. It adds: “We do not tolerate bullying or harassment in any form, whether within our workplaces, our programs, or the broader public discourse connected to our work.”
‘Blocked Duwar’ by Feras Shaheen (photo: Biennale of Sydney)
The statement affirms artists’ rights to express personal views within Australian law, while noting that “diverse perspectives and lived experiences are fundamental to artistic practice and cultural dialogue”.
A separate Humanitarian Statement says the Biennale “continues to uphold peace, generosity, and understanding as values at the core of its mission”, adding that it will use its platform to encourage the exchange of ideas that promote those values. It also expresses hope for an end to violent conflict, stating the organisation believes violence “only perpetuates division and sorrow”.
Organisers have stressed that the 25th edition, titled Rememory and curated by Sharjah Art Foundation president Hoor Al Qasimi, is not intended as a platform for ideology but as a space for cultural exchange and community connection.
The outreach follows months of controversy surrounding the 2026 program. Criticism has focused in part on the inclusion of Palestinian-Australian artist Feras Shaheen and his work ‘Blocked Duwar’, scheduled for display at Campbelltown Arts Centre. The work has been described as exploring separation from an Indigenous homeland through dance, video game technology and imagined Palestinian landscapes.
Shaheen attracted condemnation after a September 2025 Instagram post juxtaposed images of Australian neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell with Jewish philanthropists Morry Schwartz and John Gandel, captioned: “Treat your local Zionist like you treat your local Nazi.”
Biennale of Sydney (photo: Instagram)
Schwartz, a former Biennale board member, wrote an open letter to chair Kate Mills, board member Anne Flanagan and chief executive Barbara Moore, saying: “I’m sure you’ll agree with me that a line has been crossed. To equate John Gandel and me with Nazis is shocking. The Biennale will not survive this if you don’t act immediately.” He said the age of the post made the artist’s inclusion “even more egregious” given the opportunity for due diligence.
Further scrutiny followed in January 2026 when Biennale ambassador Bhenji Ra severed ties with the organisation after backlash over social media activity, including engagement with posts such as one by journalist Rania Khalek stating: “Genocidal death cults do not have the right to exist.”
The appointment of Al Qasimi has also drawn criticism from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, which said her selection reflected what it described as an extremist political outlook, citing public statements and reposts critical of Israel.
In an August 11, 2025 letter responding to Schwartz, Mills wrote that the 2026 program was “focused on community, connection and fostering understanding” and “not a platform for ideology”. She added, “The Biennale of Sydney condemns all forms of racism including antisemitic and anti-Islamic attacks, without reservation. There is no place in our program for content that incites hatred or dehumanises any community.”
A Biennale spokesperson has said the organisation has reviewed the works and is satisfied the program is inclusive and artistically ambitious, while noting that concerns about artists’ social media activity sit with authorities such as NSW Police or the eSafety Commissioner.
Against that backdrop, the Biennale invited David Ossip, president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, to an advance preview of the exhibition. The invitation allows Ossip to flag any content he considers antisemitic or likely to incite anti-Jewish hostility. He accepted, saying he hoped to help avoid controversies that have affected other cultural events, including Adelaide Writers’ Week.
Reaction within the Jewish community has been mixed, with some welcoming the Biennale’s explicit condemnation of antisemitism and willingness to engage, and others calling for clearer, more transparent guardrails around political expression at publicly supported arts festivals.
The 2026 Biennale will run across multiple venues and feature 83 artists, collectives and collaborations. The debate comes amid wider tension in Australia’s arts sector over artistic freedom and community safety following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, the Gaza war and a rise in antisemitic incidents, including the Bondi terror attack. Organisers say their priority remains presenting art that encourages reflection and respectful exchange.
