Hello supporters,
Our petition is gaining incredible momentum, and that means more of us are having conversations with friends, family, and venue owners about why a cultural boycott is a necessary and ethical stand.
To empower everyone in our movement, we've compiled some key messaging tips and answers to common questions. This isn't about having a script, but about having clear, principled, and effective conversations.
Our Core Demands (A Quick Refresher):
A full cultural boycott of Israel: No partnerships, funding, or platforms for Israeli state-sponsored arts and cultural institutions.
Adoption of an Ethical Artist Policy by local venues: A commitment to not host events that artwash or normalize Israel's apartheid and genocide.
Solidarity from artists and musicians: A pledge to not perform in venues that are complicit in human rights violations.
Navigating Common Questions: Your Conversation Guide
Here’s how you can respond to some of the most frequent questions we encounter.
Q: Isn't a cultural boycott a form of censorship that silences artists?
A: This is not about silencing individuals but about refusing to be a platform for state propaganda. The boycott targets institutional complicity, not individual identity. We oppose art that is funded and used by the Israeli state to whitewash its crimes, just as was done with the cultural boycott of apartheid South Africa. What’s most important to know is that this is a peaceful, Palestinian-led movement for freedom and justice.
Q: Why single out Israel? Don't other countries also have poor human rights records?
A: The BDS movement is a specific, Palestinian-led call for solidarity, and our response is a targeted, non-violent tactic to answer that call. However, the real issue here is that Israel is currently carrying out a UN-recognized genocide and enforcing a system of apartheid. We stand against all oppression, and right now, we are heeding the urgent call from Palestine.
Q: What about the ordinary Israeli artist who just wants to share their music?
A: Can we just take a moment to recognise that this framing focuses on one individual's discomfort, while the real violence is being inflicted on millions of Palestinians. What we really want to highlight is that in the context of a genocide, providing a "normal" cultural platform for artists from the perpetrating state serves to normalize the atrocities. The real violence is the bombing of every university, museum, and theatre in Gaza.
Q: Don't you believe in building bridges and dialogue through art?
A: True dialogue can only happen on the basis of justice and equality. Art that is used to normalize oppression and genocide is not building a bridge; it is artwashing a checkpoint. And what this all means is that we, as a community of artists and art-lovers, have a responsibility to take a stand. We refuse to have our community spaces used to whitewash war crimes.
Key Takeaways for Your Conversations:
Lead with our goal: "Our goal is a cultural life free from complicity in apartheid and genocide, where art can truly be a force for liberation."
Connect to history: "With this in mind, if we look at the bigger picture, cultural boycotts have a proud history of success in fighting injustice."
Focus on complicity, not identity: Always bring the focus back to the institutions and the state using culture as a tool of propaganda.
Your voice is powerful. By speaking clearly and consistently, we can ensure our message is heard and our demands are met. Thank you for your continued dedication.
In solidarity,
Boycott Infected Mushroom - Australia