Caught between audiences and supporters, arts companies face an uncertain future |
Caught between audiences and supporters, arts companies face an uncertain future
February 20, 2026 — 11:32am
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On the day the Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) confirmed the attendance of Palestinian Australian author and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, its executive team personally contacted its leading patrons, sponsors and donors. It was a necessary tactic in an increasingly volatile political climate subsuming the arts.
By the end of that announcement day, the festival’s supporters page had been taken offline. When it reappeared, the branding for KPMG – which provides auditing services to the festival at discounted rates – had vanished.
Whether this was indeed a tactical retreat by the accounting firm or not, the reality remains that festival backers have been overwhelmed by media inquiries.
And behind the scenes, they’ve been feeling the heat from largely anonymous campaigners who argue that Abdel-Fattah’s highly disputed remarks following the October 7 attacks........