Schofield slams Sydney Symphony over marriage equality stance

The Board’s decision not to express public support for the Yes campaign puts them at odds with the majority of arts organisations across the country.

Photo: Keith Saunders

Leading arts identity Leo Schofield has issued a blistering attack on the ‘craven directors’ of the Sydney Symphony, following their decision not to publicly support the Yes campaign for marriage equality.

Calling their decision ‘a disgrace’, Schofield noted: ‘Every significant arts organisation in the country has nailed its colours to the mast, every arts practitioner worth his or her salt, every thinking patron, sponsor, audience member supports change. The reason the board, supposedly unanimously, has opted for this course is that they don’t want to politicise music. Utter drivel.’

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts