Pulp have revealed they planned to call off their show at Adelaide Festival next month following the Adelaide Writers’ Week controversy.
In recent weeks, writers and authors for the event began dropping out after organisers removed Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from its program. Dr Abdel-Fattah was advised that she would no longer appear at the event, with organisers citing concerns about cultural sensitivity in the aftermath of the Bondi tragedy.
Since then, the Adelaide Writers’ Week has been cancelled and the new Adelaide Festival board have issued an apology.
Pulp, who are scheduled to play at Elder Park on February 27th to open the festival, addressed the controversy in a statement this week.
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”We want to make it absolutely clear that Pulp refuse to condone the silencing of voices. We celebrate difference, and oppose censorship, violence and oppression in all its forms.,” the statement reads.
“Our management and representatives have been in dialogue with the festival organisers since last week, when the situation was first made public. Having informed them that we had decided to withdraw from the festival in support of the boycott, we were asked to delay an announcement while they sought to resolve this crisis for all sides.
“It is our understanding that the festival programmers are now acting in good faith. The festival board that made this dreadful decision have been replaced, and a full apology has been accepted by Randa Abdel-Fattah, who has been invited to appear next year.
“Given this new and welcome development we feel able, in good conscience, to honour our invitation to perform in Adelaide on 27 February. We hope that our free concert will be an opportunity for different communities to come together in peace and harmony.”
Pulp kick off their New Zealand and Australia headline tour in Auckland next month.
