Anti-Semitism Royal Commission: Envoy's warning over public arts funding
Ways to better support Jewish creatives in the arts sector will be examined by the Royal Commission into anti-Semitism in Australia.
Ways to better support Jewish creatives in the arts sector will be examined by the Royal Commission into anti-Semitism in Australia.
Representatives from the arts and creative sector will make up the bulk of the final day of hearings focused on education and policy frameworks to promote social cohesion.
Special Envoy for Combating Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal raised particular concerns with the funding provided to the arts sector during her appearance at the inquiry on Thursday.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Ms Segal said every venue and event should be conscious of negative impacts to social cohesion, particularly when it involved public funding.
“The arts are important in challenging our thinking ... I wouldn’t want to, in any way, constrain that,” she said.
“But how do you balance that with making sure that everyone feels safe?”
Ms Segal said supporting Jewish artists who were struggling to find work in the industry remained a “wicked problem”.
The envoy has advocated for the creation of a separate grant panel for Jewish artists and ensuring existing grants panel members undertake anti-Semitism training.
The inquiry has heard numerous personal accounts of anti-Semitism across education and everyday life.
A member of the Jewish community in South Australia ended Thursday’s hearings by highlighting the difficulties facing smaller cohorts across Australia.
By his estimation, the witness said there were about 11,000 Jews in Adelaide, which he said meant very few people outside the community had a human example to consider when they witnessed an act of anti-Semitism.
“The vast majority of people in the Jewish community in Adelaide are the only Jew in their workplace,” he said.
“Their children will be the only Jew in their school, and the majority of people in South Australia have not met a Jewish person.”
The witness called for tailored education programs for the states and territories with smaller Jewish communities and a seat at the table of the Anti-Semitism Education Taskforce.
