Arts gallery reverse its decision to cancel a Palestinian exhibition after protests

An arts gallery has reversed its decision to cancel their Palestinian arts show after protests sparked dozens of artists in removing their work from the venue.

The HOME Arts Venue in Manchester planned to host a Voice of Resilience exhibition on 22 April 2024, before deciding to cancel the event in response to a letter from a local Jewish Representative Council.

It is understood HOME cancelled the arts show with the aim to remain 'politically neutral'.

While taking down their artworks, artists displayed copies of a statement calling for an apology from HOME and the reinstatement of the exhibition, as well as demanding a forum for "Palestinians and their allies" to raise concerns.

Dani Abulhawa, British-Palestinian artist and curator of the event, said: "Venues should not shy away from the challenges of presenting work that touches on geo-politics and should foster safe, critical spaces where different perspectives can be seen.”

In a statement, HOME says the initial decision to cancel Voices of Resilience was difficult.

HOME said: "We recognise how deeply this decision has affected communities and groups across Manchester and beyond, and we apologise for any distress or upset caused.

"We support Palestinian and all community voices, and acknowledge that we can learn from how this was handled. We regret that this has had such wide-reaching impacts.

"Since our initial statement, we have continued to collaborate and consult with stakeholders and the artists involved, and to review and develop plans.

"We have reached out to partners in the city for assistance and have been able to access additional resources that will support us delivering the event.

"As a result, we are now in a position to confirm that the Voices of Resilience event will take place at HOME, created and curated by CommaPress.

"HOME has always been a space for all voices, with a commitment to championing equality and diversity at the heart of our work.

"This commitment has never changed, and we recognise that there is work to be done now, to restore the well-earned confidence that our audiences and artists have always held in HOME.

"We are committed to continuing these conversations with all affected by recent events."

HOME will announce the details of the event shortly.

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