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Arnolfini apologises after cancelling Palestinian film events
An art gallery that attracted widespread outrage when it cancelled two events they were due to host as part of Bristol Palestine Film Festival in early December has apologised “without reservation” for “recent programming decisions”.
In a statement, the trustees of the Arnolfini said it wanted to express “deep regret for the distress caused to those we consider allies”, appearing to refer to its decision to cancel a screening of Palestinian film Farha and a spoken word evening with British activist and rapper Lowkey. At the time, the gallery said it could not engage in political activity.
The cancellations led to protests and more than 1,000 artists refusing to work with them, from Massive Attack to playwrights, who collectively slammed the decision as “censorship”.
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One month on, Arnolfini has expressed remorse over its decision-making and lack of clarity in its communication, adding it is now implementing “robust internal processes to best service the gallery” and trying to rebuild relationships within the arts sector.
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The whole statement reads: “The trustees of Arnolfini sincerely acknowledge the significant impact of recent programming decisions made by the organisation.
“We wish to express our deep regret for the distress caused to those we consider allies.
“We also fully acknowledge that the original communication regarding these programming changes was not clear enough, all of which we apologise for without reservation.
“What we have learnt in recent weeks has guided us to find better ways to set out our programming decision-making and the associated communication processes.
“Following a period of reflection and deliberation, we are implementing robust internal processes which we feel will best serve the Arnolfini, its contributors and its audiences in the future.
“We want to thank all of the individual artists and collectives that have already reached out to us.
“We are very appreciative for all of the helpful ongoing conversations taking place.
“We are also reaching out to artists, partners, and sector organisations to rebuild relationships.”
Around 60 people took part in the first sit-in at the Arnolfini – photo: Rob Browne
In December, Arnolfini’s decision to withdraw the two film festival events sparked a furious response from locals, artists, musicians, activists and academics, more than 2,300 of whom signed an open letter denouncing the gallery’s actions as “censorship”.
The letter read that the “decision by a publicly funded venue to censor Palestinian film and poetry events is a particularly concerning part of an alarming pattern of censorship and repression within the arts sector”.
It also triggered numerous sit-in protests inside the gallery, with one protester’s banner reading “Art is political”.
Arnolfini said it had made the “challenging” and “difficult” decision as the films put a strain on the legal requirement for arts charities to remain apolitical.
The first of the two events that were meant to take place was a screening of Farha, which tells the story of 14-year-old Farha, whose childhood, and her dreams of an education, are shattered following the military invasion of Palestine,
The other was “an evening of spoken word, film and discussion in support of Palestine, on the 75th anniversary of the Nakba” with hip hop artist, political campaigner and vocal anti-Zionist Lowkey headlining.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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