Art organisations strike in support of Palestine

Scores of arts organisations – including at least four funded by Arts Council England – undertook strike action on 31 May in a show of solidarity with Palestine, according to London contemporary gallery The Mosaic Rooms, which organised the mass walkout.

The Mosaic Rooms, part of the AM Qattan Foundation, a not-for-profit developmental organisation based in Ramallah, claims that internationally, 180 organisations and collectives, including independent galleries, publishers, and bookshops, participated in its cultural strike, which involved gallery closures and occupations, as well as postponed openings and graduate shows.

In its call out, the organisation said: “As we witness the violent destruction of a whole society in Gaza and the horrific recent attacks on Rafah, we, the entire staff at The Mosaic Rooms, are on strike. We believe that to continue operating in a world where this is allowed to happen is unconscionable and unacceptable.

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“We invite our colleagues to join us in our strike action and use your resources to pressure your government to call for a ceasefire, cease arms sales to, and implement sanctions against, Israel, and demand the end of the Israeli occupation. We encourage you to speak to your organisation, call out its complicity, whether through its funders and benefactors or lack of visibility and censorship for voices in support of and from Palestine.”

ACE National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) The NewBridge Project was one of those that took part, closing its gallery and bookshop for the day. During the strike, the NewBridge Project's staff “redirected [their] labour to practising solidarity locally”.

The Newcastle-based organisation, which supports artists, curators, and communities by providing space for creative practice, said it decided to join the action "collectively" and in dialogue with its board. A spokesperson added, "For us, it was not a controversial decision to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, echoing calls by colleagues around the world, the UN, and the International Court of Justice."

Fellow NPOs Peer UK and Arts Catalyst also posted on social media that they were taking part, as did Visual Arts South West, a sector support body based at Bristol NPO Spike Island.

Elsewhere, a group of students and staff at Goldsmiths said they had “pressured” the university’s Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) to close on 31 May and for the remainder of its current exhibition as part of the strike.

The group, Goldsmiths For Palestine, has occupied various university buildings since February.

Goldsmith's CCA posted on Instagram, “[The gallery] is currently occupied, and we have sadly had to close the gallery early.

"We apologise to our audiences and hope to see you for our next exhibition.

"We are sad to say goodbye to these exhibitions, and hope that the occupiers and the university reach a resolution soon.”

Political statements

Arts Council England declined to comment on the strike action taken by NPOs as it is subject to pre-election restrictions but signposted to its recent statements over changes to its Relationship Framework.

The guidance was updated in January but was revised in February following concerns it could curtail freedom of expression in warning cultural organisations to be wary of increasing reputational risk by making "overtly political or activist" statements. ACE subsequently removed the warning.

Last month, the performers' union Equity claimed the initial changes were drawn up in response to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. A Freedom of Information request submitted by the union found that the guidance was discussed in a meeting with the Department for Culture Media and Sport on 12 December 2023, during an agenda item on ‘reputational risk relating to Israel-Gaza conflict’.

An ACE spokesperson previously said the original January update to its Relationship Framework guidance followed conversations with organisations it invests in, many of which wanted support in managing complex situations. Although it updated DCMS on its draft guidance, ACE claimed the government "offered no input."

Speaking to Arts Professional in March, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer declined to say whether she felt that publicly funded arts organisations should be able to air contentious views, for example, by voicing support for Palestine.

"When organisations that deal with public money are looking at how to spend that money, they obviously need to ensure that they exercise the appropriate amount of discipline in relation to that," she said.

"These decisions that Arts Council England make in relation to their guidance is a matter for them."