Creative Australia announced today that Robert Morgan, its chair since 2021, will retire from his role—over a year before his term was due to run out. Morgan, an advertising executive, was a central figure in the saga surrounding the appointment—and shortly afterwards, removal—of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino from Australia’s 2026 Venice Biennale team.
The pair were named to the Venice team on 7 February by Creative Australia. However, after an article in The Australian implied that two of the artist's early works could be read as glorifying terrorism, they were dropped by the arts body on 13 February, in a meeting chaired by Morgan.
Creative Australia’s chief executive Adrian Collette said on Friday that Morgan’s early departure was unrelated to events surrounding the biennale, and that Morgan had signalled his intention to remain only until the Australia Council’s structural transition to Creative Australia was complete. This process, which established Creative Australia as the country's new funding and advisory body, is now complete.
In an email to The Art Newspaper Morgan said: “It has long been my intention to retire following the establishment of Creative Australia, and I’m pleased to have supported the organisation through this important transition. It has been an honour to serve on the board during such a transformative period for the arts in Australia.
The Quandamooka writer and director for the stage Wesley Enoch, currently the deputy chair of the board, will take on the role of acting chair. “Wesley Enoch brings a wealth of experience and I’m confident the board is in excellent hands,” Morgan said.
“A pathway towards reinstatement”?
The timing of Morgan’s decision has nevertheless drawn attention as he and Collette have been under intense pressure since sacking Sabsabi, with many senior arts and philanthropy leaders coming out in support of the artist and his work.
Sabsabi’s longtime Brisbane gallerist, Josh Milani, said in a statement that Morgan’s departure from Creative Australia was “a welcome opportunity to open a pathway towards reinstatement” of the artist and Dagostino as Australia’s team for Venice in 2026.
“Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino stand ready to fulfill their contract to represent Australia at Venice in 2026 and would be happy to work under new leadership,” Milani’s statement said. “Furthermore, it would help Khaled Sabsabi recover from the ongoing damage being done to his reputation, health and livelihood.”
Sabsabi has emphatically denied accusations levelled against him, and has said he rejects all forms of racism and hate. He said in a statement: “Michael [Dagostino] and I remain committed to representing Australia on the world stage with integrity and purpose.”
In further news relating to the fraught situation, Australia’s Monash University Museum of Art has announced that a previously postponed group exhibition featuring works by Sabsabi will now go ahead. The exhibition, titled Stolon Press: Flat earth, was due to open on 8 May, but was delayed following the Venice controversy. It will now open on 29 May.
The university said in a statement that it conducted consultations with Monash students and community “to ensure the exhibition proceeds in the manner and spirit originally curated by Stolon Press”.