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A Glasgow festival is set to run at the Tramway arts venue from November 11 to 15 under the title “From the Rivers to the Seas,” which echoes an antisemitic slogan calling for the eradication of Israel.
Arika, the non-profit behind it, has received £911,950 in public funding from Creative Scotland.
Elliot Davis, former chairman of the Judeo-Christian Alliance, called the festival’s title “virulent hate speech.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said Creative Scotland “must bear some responsibility and accountability” for bankrolling Arika. Creative Scotland said it supports Arika through a three-year scheme covering operations and creative work, and that it did not influence programming decisions.
Screenings, poetry readings, and workshops will fill the five days, and the event aims to unite groups working on “anti-colonial resistance.” Arika described it as an act of solidarity with Palestinians amid what it termed an “ongoing genocide.” That accusation is a modern permutation of the historic blood libel, the centuries-old lie that Jews murder Christian children, now aimed at Israel.
Tramway, which Creative Scotland also backs, is overseen by council-financed Glasgow Life, which said it saw the schedule in advance and did not ask for changes. It added that Tramway contributes £4,000 toward the series and bears roughly £5,000 in staff and marketing costs.
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