Entertainment Industry Leaders Stand United Against Cultural Boycott of Israel and In Support of Sydney Festival

120+ celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to sign open letter in support of artistic freedom and against boycott of Sydney Festival.

More than 120 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the nonprofit entertainment industry organisation Creative Community For Peace in support of the Sydney Festival and participating artists. 

After suffering through two years of border closures, extended COVID lockdowns, the most catastrophic bushfires on record and devastating floods, this iconic Festival, celebrating its 45th year, is supposed to celebrate Sydney’s diverse history and rich culture, reuniting Sydney as a community. The open letter comes in response to attempts by anti-Israel activists to boycott the Sydney Festival because the Israeli Embassy in Australia is sponsoring the performance of a world-renowned Israeli dance ensemble.

The entertainment leaders stand united in rejecting the cultural boycott of Israel as yet another roadblock to peace and its subversion of art for nefarious political purposes. “While art can reflect politics, and artists can choose to reflect their politics in their own art, art should never become subservient to politics and artists and cultural events should never be forced to be politicised,” the letter reads.

Signatories to the open letter include: Gene Simmons: Bassist / co-lead singer KISS; Aaron BaySchuck, CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Record; Diane Warren,Songwriter/Producer; Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC; Emile Sherman: Co-Founder, See-Saw Films; Rick Rosen, Co-Founder, Endeavor; Ben Silverman; Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content; Orly Marley, President, Tuff Gong Worldwide; Jacqueline Saturn, President, Virgin Music; Stephan Elliot, Director; Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress; Dan Rosen; Michael Rotenberg, Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment; David Zedeck , Global Head of Music at UTA; Gary Gersh, President, Global Touring, A.E.G.; and Sherry Lansing, Former CEO of Paramount Pictures.

A full list of all the signatories can be seen below. The letter’s signatories believe strongly in the power of art to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change. They also call on their friends and colleagues to join in expressing support for the artists of the Sydney Festival and against this counterproductive boycott call. “We, the undersigned, believe the cultural boycott movement of the Sydney Festival is an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are working to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition. While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.” the letter continues.

“The org

anisers of the Sydney Festival boycott intentionally misrepresent the truth about Israel and make provocative statements, to try and bully artists into backing out of the festival. Their messages deceptively involve an element of dishonesty and deny the truth of Jewish indigeneity to the land of Israel. Their actions only further hostility and dampen hope for peace, which all of us so urgently desire,” stated Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace. Mr. Ingel added that “the Sydney Festival is a beautiful event celebrating Sydney’s diverse and rich culture – bringing the entire community together. Unfortunately, it’s now being used for political purposes to divide, rather than unite. The boycott movement is also counterproductive and instead of amplifying the voices of coexistence trying to effect real change on the ground, those who support the calls for a boycott are only creating more hostility, division, and mistrust.”

Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts and culture as a means to peace and to counter and educate the entertainment industry about rising antisemitism. To learn more about their work, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.

OPEN LETTER

We, the undersigned, believe that cultural events are vitally important vehicles to bring people together of different backgrounds under a shared love of the arts. The annual Sydney Festival embodies this unifying power. Every year, thousands of Australians make common cause in a massive display of cultural exchange and celebration of our diverse cultures and histories.

Unfortunately, this year, the spirit of the Festival is under attack by those calling for a boycott because the Israeli Embassy is sponsoring a world renowned Israeli dance ensemble. This call for a boycott turns the festival from an opportunity for unity into a weapon of division. We also reject the boycott activist claims that Jews are not indigenous to the land of Israel. The Jewish people have over a 3,000 year connection to the land of Israel, and many Jewish families have lived in the land for hundreds of generations. This fact does not deny any other groups claims of indigeneity.

While art can reflect politics, and artists can choose to reflect their politics in their own art, art should never become subservient to politics and artists and cultural events should never be forced to be politicized. We believe the cultural boycott movement is an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are working to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition. While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.

As Nick Cave stated: “The cultural boycott of Israel is cowardly and shameful. Israel is a real, vibrant, functioning democracy - yes, with Arab members of parliament - and so engaging with Israelis, who vote, may be more helpful than scaring off artists or shutting down means of engagement.” We call on all our friends and colleagues in the entertainment community to express their support for an exciting and successful Sydney Festival 2022 and to purchase a ticket and attend the festival itself to understand the power of arts to bring people together first hand.

Media Contact: Marcus Middleton | 0439 350 692

SIGNATORIES Gene Simmons: Bassist / co-lead singer KISS Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Records Jason Adelman: Vice President, Brand Innovators Orly Adelson: Producer, Orly Adelson Productions Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios Michael Adler: Partner of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark Inc. Nate Auerbach: Partner, Versus Creative Eric Balfour: Actor Eve Barlow: Music/Culture Journalist Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton Miles Beard: Senior Vice President, A&R at Artist Partner Group, Inc. Aton Ben-Horin: Global Vice President of A&R for Warner Music Group Pablo Bendersky: Producer/Artist Steven Bensusan: President, Blue Note Entertainment Group Adam Berkowitz: Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group Luc Bernard: Director, Voices of the Forgotten Josh Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP Neil Blair: Partner, The Blair Partnership Evan Bogart: Songwriter & Co-Founder of Boardwalk Entertainment Group Josh Brill: Writer, Producer David Byrnes: Partner, Ziffren, Brittenham, LLP Markell Casey: Senior Director A&R, Sony Music Australia Brian Celler: Bravo Charlie Management Pamela Charbit: A&R Manager, Atlantic Records Deborah Conway: Artist Leanne Coronel: President, The Coronel Group Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress Raye Cosbert: Managing Director, Metropolis Music Ian Daly: Head of Brand Strategy, Live Nation Greg Daniels: Writer and Producer Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO, Premier Music Group Avi Diamond: Director, Film & Licensing Warner Chappell Music Kosha Dillz: Artist Craig Dorfman: President and Owner, Frontline MGMT David Draiman: Artist, Frontman of Disturbed Stephan Elliot: Director Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc. Sharon Farber: Composer Daniel Federman: Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv Ken Fermaglich: Partner, United Talent Agency Josh Fluxgold: President, One Way MGMT Erica Forster: VP of Music Partnerships, DanceOn Gary Foster: Principal at Krasnoff Foster Productions Jordan Frazes: Founder, Frazes Creative Daryl Friedman: Former Chief Advocacy & Industry Relations Officer for The Recording Academy Siri Garber: President, Platform Public Relations David Gardner: President, Artists First Media Contact: Marcus Middleton | 0439 350 692 Andrew Genger: Manager, Red Light Management Gary Gersh: President of Global Talent, AEG Gary Ginsberg: Former Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp. Daniel Glass: President and Founder, Glassnote Records Karen Glauber: President, HITS Magazine David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group Elon Gold: Comedian Michael Goldwasser: Producer & President/Co-Founder, Easy Star Records Andrew Gould: Senior Music Executive Cary Granat: CEO, Immersive Artistry Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK Steve Greenberg: President, S-Curve Records Scott Greenberg: Manager and Partner at LBI Entertainment Ronnie Harris: Partner, Harris & Trotter LLP Jo Hart: Founder, Hart Media Avi Hirshbein: Associate, Sony Production Music Richard "BournRich” Ingram: Artist, Creative Director Neil Jacobson: Founder, Hallwood Media Zach Katz: President, Raised In Space Scott Kluge: President, Tremendous Entertainment Amanda Kogan: Agent, The Gersh Agency Rick Krim: Co-Founder, Worldwired Music Gabz Landman: VP of A&R, Warner Records Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures Colin Lester OBE: Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group David Levy: Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment David Levy: Former President of Turner/WarnerMedia, Founder of Back Nine Ventures David Lonner: CEO, The David Lonner Co. Ben Maddahi: SVP A&R, Columbia Records Gabriel Mann: Composer/Producer Susan Markheim: Manager, Full Stop Mgt., The Azoff Company Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide Nancy Matalon: VP of A&R, Spirit Music Group David Mazouz: Actor Leetal Nissenbaum: VP of Synchronization and Licensing, Ultra Records Lisa Nupoff: Manager, IMINMUSIC Management Scott Packman: SSP Partners Mike Praw: Music Executive David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Jaimison M. Roberts: Attorney Hanna Rochelle: Founder & President, Lyric Culture Dan Rosen Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor Michael Rotenberg: Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment Autumn Rowe: Songwriter, Producer, DJ Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music Ayelet Schiffman: SVP Head of Promotions, Island Records Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment and Media Practice Steve Schnur: President of Music, Electronic Arts Jordan Schur: CEO & Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures & Suretone Entertainment Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency Camila Seta: Marketing & Content Strategy, Rogers & Cowan Media Contact: Marcus Middleton | 0439 350 692 Emile Sherman: Producer, See-Saw Films Noah "Westside Gravy" Shufutinsky: Artist Ben Silverman: Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Propagate Content Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited Marty Singer: Attorney, Lavely and Singer Jeff Sosnow: EVP A&R, Warner Music Donna Spievak: Director of Strategic Marketing, Interscope Records Nancy Spielberg: Filmmaker Jonathan Steinsapir: Partner, Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP Gary Stiffelman: Founder, GSS Law Aaron Symonds: Composer Traci Szymanski: President, Co-Star Entertainment Adam Taylor: President, APM Music Noa Tishby: Actress, Producer Fred Toczek: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson Eric Tuchman: Writer, Producer Jeremy Vuernick: Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records Diane Warren: Songwriter, Producer Joshua Washington: Artist, Producer Jon Weinbach: President, Skydance Sports Nola Weinstein: Global Head of Culture & Experiential, Twitter Evan Winiker: Managing Partner, Range Media Jeffrey Winter: Executive Director, The Film Collaborative Sharon Tal Yguado: Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment David Zedeck: Global Head of Music, United Talent Agency Willy Zygier: Artist ** Note - The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.

ABOUT CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE: Founded by entertainment industry executives, Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) is a non-profit organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment industry who have come together to promote the arts as a means to peace, to counter antisemitism within the entertainment industry, and to galvanize support against the cultural boycott of Israel. CCFP is apolitical and does not stand for any government official or party. Instead, CCFP believes in artists and their ability to affect lives and effect positive change in the world. For more information please visit: creativecommunityforpeace.com