âThey are not wantedâ
Over the past three years, a loose alliance of artists and activists have been campaigning to pressure Fringe World and Artrage to sever all ties with Woodside. Tensions heated up in December, when Fringe World encouraged performers to not speak out against its sponsorship arrangements â a request which, amid a record-breaking bushfire season and climate crisis, felt particularly incendiary to some.
So when Artrage announced in June that Woodside would no longer have naming rights for the festival, activists claimed it as âan important winâ.
âWeâre really grateful to [Artrage CEO] Sharon Burgess and the Artrage board for having listened to its own stakeholders, done the right thing and refused to promote Woodside any longer,â Perth-based 350 activist Anthony Collins told Guardian Australia in June.