Venice Biennale pavilion could be empty, Creative Australia chief tells senators

<p>Adrian Collette admits decision to drop Khaled Sabsabi risks having nothing on show but he and chair won’t quit</p><ul><li><strong>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></strong></li></ul><p>Creative Australia has conceded the Australian Pavilion at next year’s Venice Biennale may remain empty following its decision <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/feb/13/khaled-sabsabi-dropped-as-australias-representative-to-venice-biennale-ntwnfb">to rescind the contracts</a> of the artist and curator it chose to represent the country at the prestigious event.</p><p>“We will be doing everything we can…to think about how we use what is a public pavilion to mount something of that is worthy in terms of its representation of Australia,” Creative Australia’s chief executive, Adrian Collette, told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday night.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/feb/25/venice-biennale-pavilion-could-be-empty-creative-australia-chief-tells-senators">Continue reading...</a>