Richard Watts returns to a speech made by Belgian festival director Frie Leysen, who argued that art should disturb, not try to please audiences, sponsors and the press.
Belgian festival director and curator Frie Leysen challenged Australian artists and arts organisations to be bold, and to challenge an increasingly ossified status quo in her closing keynote address at the 2015 Australian Theatre Forum (ATF).
‘We created a culture of “pleasing” that is now hijacking us,’ she said. ‘We want to please everybody: the audiences, the subscribers, the sponsors, the press, the colleagues… a big mistake!
‘Art should not please. On the contrary. Art h... Keep reading on artsHub
Belgian festival director and curator Frie Leysen challenged Australian artists and arts organisations to be bold, and to challenge an increasingly ossified status quo in her closing keynote address at the 2015 Australian Theatre Forum (ATF).
‘We created a culture of “pleasing” that is now hijacking us,’ she said. ‘We want to please everybody: the audiences, the subscribers, the sponsors, the press, the colleagues… a big mistake!
‘Art should not please. On the contrary. Art h... Keep reading on artsHub