Government-funded Fitzroy gallery stages event with group labelled anti-Semitic

JEWISH community members, including the Anti-­Defamation Commission chairman, are outraged a taxpayer-funded gallery hosted a group campaigning on issues deemed anti-Semitic.

MEMBERS of the Jewish community are outraged a ­taxpayer-funded gallery in Melbourne’s inner north gave a platform to a group campaigning on issues deemed anti-Semitic.

Seventh Gallery in Fitzroy hosted a discussion event on July 29 with the US-based ­Decolonise This Place organisation, which campaigns for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) anti-Israel movement.

The BDS campaign promotes boycotting businesses linked with Israel and was a driving force behind the protests at Max Brenner outlets in Melbourne in 2011.

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Chairman of the Anti-­Defamation Commission Dr Dvir Abramovich. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The gallery received almost $30,000 in state government grant funds in July and another $30,000 over three years from the local council.

Chairman of the Anti-­Defamation Commission Dr Dvir Abramovich said it was inappropriate and upsetting that taxpayer dollars were supporting the gallery.

“It’s disturbing and outrageous that a tax-funded gallery, that is supposed to celebrate cultural diversity and the open exchange of ideas, hosted speakers from an organisation which promotes the anti-­Semitic BDS campaign,” he said.

“The poisonous, divisive and ugly rhetoric of demonisation of Israel … has no place in multicultural Victoria, espec­ially in a space that should be free of prejudice.”

Yarra City Council’s Acting Mayor Misha Coleman.

The gallery is funded by Creative Victoria and the City of Yarra grant program.

In July, the gallery was awarded $29,220 through a state government VicArts grant for their 2018-19 exhibition program. But a state government spokeswoman denied the money given to the gallery had gone towards the event.

“The Decolonise This Place event was not funded by the VicArts grant program,” the spokeswoman said.

“We condemn the BDS movement and all they stand for.”

Another $30,000 will be given to the gallery by Yarra City Council’s Creative Yarra grants over three years.

“Yarra council doesn’t have a role in curating or approving specific events at the gallery,” Acting Mayor Misha Coleman said. “We have no adopted policy position regarding the BDS movement.”

In a statement provided to the Herald Sun, the Seventh Gallery board said the panel discussion was about creating inclusive spaces for everyone.

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