Oscar-winning filmmaker Lucie Kon and Oi Va Voi’s Josh Breslaw are among the speakers at the second annual Uncancelled: Jews in the Arts conference in north London next month.
Held by Friends in the Arts (FIA) on the afternoon of November 22, Uncancelled is a solutions-focused conference tackling antisemitism and boycotts within creative industries in Britain.
This year’s programme includes talks by Emmy & BAFTA-winning filmmaker Lucie Kon, whose documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin – on which she was executive producer – won an Oscar, and Oi Va Voi’s founder and drummer Josh Breslaw, who also runs the record label Parallel Skies.
British band Oi Va Voi had two of their UK shows cancelled last year due to pressure by pro-Palestine activists and returned with a new track accentuating their Jewish heritage, Back to My Roots.
Comedian Philip Simon, who had his show at the Edinburgh Festival cancelled by the venue because of his views on the war in Gaza, will also speak, as will choreographer Rosie Kay, who co-founded campaign group Freedom in the Arts to protect freedom of expression, combat cancel culture and support artists experiencing pressure.
The event also features Larry Finlay, former managing director at Transworld Publishing who formed the Jewish Publishing Circle with Stephanie Thwaites, head of the book department at Curtis Brown, in the aftermath of October 7; soprano Ilona Domnich; human rights lawyer Adam Wagner KC; and music producer and composer Itay Kashti.
The Israeli-born musician who immigrated to the UK in 2007 will share his personal experience of the violent antisemitic attack he underwent in 2025, in which he was nearly kidnapped, because of his identity.
Kashti told the JC: “I feel it’s important to bring this experience into people’s consciousness, particularly because I believe the incident received far less media attention than it deserved.
“I think stories like mine can get lost when they don’t fit neatly into the dominant media narrative.”
The artist plans to finish his session with a performance of a song he wrote shortly after the attack. “It’s a song about looking ahead, holding on to hope, and searching for a better day.”
The programme will feature powerful personal stories alongside practical advice, strategies and support for responding to antisemitism in the arts, from navigating social media to understanding your legal rights.
Friends in the Arts director Natalie Stone said: “This conference is needed now because too many Jewish creatives are still navigating antisemitism, exclusion and professional pressure, often in silence. Our second annual event is about much more than the challenges we face.”
Since the UK has an “extraordinary Jewish arts community – talented, diverse, courageous and full of creativity”, she said, “We want Jewish artists to feel supported, to have the freedom to tell their stories, and to be celebrated for the contribution they make to our cultural life.
“Uncancelled is about bringing people together, turning solidarity into practical action, and building an arts sector where Jewish creativity can flourish and everyone can thrive.”
November 22, 1:30-5pm, north London. friendsinthearts.org
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