The CEO of Creative Australia admitted to a Senate estimates committee that the country’s pavilion could be empty in 2026 after canceling Khaled Sabsabi’s contract. This decision has sparked intense scrutiny and disappointment in the art community. During the hearing in Canberra, Adrian Collette, the CEO of Creative Australia, said Sabsabi was not given a chance to present his case to the board before his selection was unanimously revoked earlier this month.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young from South Australia, a member of the Australian Greens, expressed dismay. She said rescinding Sabsabi’s appointment brought Australia “international shame” and suggested artists might now be treated as “political fodder.”
“The message is that if it gets too hard, if it’s too challenging, if it’s too political, you don’t have their back,” Hanson-Young told Collette. “The artist deserved better.
I think you failed dismally.”
Collette denied political involvement in the decision to terminate Sabsabi and said Creative Australia supports artists. He also conceded the Australian Pavilion might be empty for 2026 if no alternative artist is found.
Creative Australia under intense scrutiny
The Senate session revealed Sabsabi’s contract was only canceled hours before the hearing, although the board made its decision almost two weeks prior. Despite the termination, Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino’s fees—$100,000 and $50,000 respectively—will still be funded by taxpayers. Collette tried to justify sacking Sabsabi by referencing the rise of antisemitism in Australia amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
He said Sabsabi’s works from almost 20 years ago had the “potential to trigger divisive narratives.”
The controversial works cited by Collette include “Thank You Very Much,” depicting imagery of the 9/11 attacks on New York, and a piece featuring the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. However, Collette also expressed respect for Sabsabi, calling him a “tremendous artist.”
In response, Sabsabi and Dagostino released a statement expressing their profound sadness over their removal and asking for a public apology from Creative Australia. They emphasized their dedication to presenting their work and ensuring the voices and ideas behind it are not silenced.
Their project, details of which remain undisclosed, has garnered considerable support from the arts sector, with calls for reconsideration and apologies from Creative Australia. This controversy has resulted in resignations within Creative Australia, including the head of the visual arts department and board member Lindy Lee. Influential figures in the art world, including last year’s Golden Lion winner Archie Moore and the National Association for the Visual Arts, have spoken out against the decision to drop Sabsabi.