Artists Say No to Zionist Prize

Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat. Image by Olivier Fitoussi

By Elad Samorzik December 7, 2011

Crossposed from Haaretz

Hundreds of dancers, authors, filmmakers and other artists have signed a petition calling to cancel the NIS 50,000 prize initiated by Culture Minister Limor Livnat intended to “reflect Zionist values and history” and give the prize money to “the meager coffer supporting free artistic work in Israel.”

Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat. Image by Olivier Fitoussi

The artists say a prize in the Zionism field is controversial, as its criteria do not pertain solely to artistic quality.The petitioners include artists Dganit Brest, David Tartakover, Doron Rabina and Nahum Tevet, choreographers Yasmeen Godder, Iris Erez, Ido Tadmor and Ohad Naharin, author Yehuda Atlas, filmmaker Eyal Sivan and illustrator Michel Kishka.

Livnat initiated the prize in response to the call for an artists’ boycott of Ariel’s new cultural center last year. It is to be awarded for works of literature, dance, cinema, theater, music and plastic art.

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