Artists for Palestine UK is dismayed to learn of  the Royal Shakespeare Company’s collaboration with the US fashion label Alice + Olivia on “a licensed apparel collection inspired by Shakespeare’s literary works”. A + O  is a label that declared itself “in support of Israel” while Israel was indiscriminately bombing civilians in Gaza and had already killed hundreds of children. As the death toll rose, the label hosted a fund-raising event for US Friends of the Israeli Defence Force, designated ‘official US partner’ by the Chief of Staff of the Israeli military. The RSC’s relationship with Alice + Olivia was brokered  by  Brandgenuity, a licensing and marketing company which also declares its ‘proud support’ for Israel. From October, Alice and Olivia’s collection is on sale in its stores, crediting the RSC.  

RSC alumni have called on the company to change direction. Today, following Artists for Palestine UK’s findings and the subsequent backlash from artists, The Stage reports that RSC artistic directors say they will convene a special meeting of its ethics committee.

Playwright Caryl Churchill says,  “Come on RSC, you say you support equity and justice. How have you blundered into an involvement with this company that states its support for Israel and the IDF while they commit extraordinary atrocities?”

Actor Paapa Essiedu says, “When the RSC cut its sponsorship links with BP in 2019, it said it would only enter partnerships that reflected its integrity. I am disappointed that it is not sticking to that principle. Genocide is being committed on the Palestinian people by the IDF. It should be out of the question for the RSC to maintain links with companies that fundraise for and support this.”

The RSC prides itself on its support for human rights. It has been ‘humbled and honoured’ to welcome the Ukrainian Theatre Studio of IDPs to Stratford. Its policies declare a commitment to ‘equity, diversity, justice and inclusion in everything we do’. Yet that commitment has not been extended to Palestinians. 

Last month Amnesty International called on public institutions and companies to ‘live up to their obligations under international law’ to ‘put an end to the genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip’. “The public at large,” said Amnesty, “must demand that they do so”: “the actions of everyone must match the gravity of the situation, amidst a staggering loss of Palestinian lives.”

Actor David Calder says,  “I’m aware as an Associate Artist of the RSC that we have a declared commitment to upholding’ human rights’. However, its collaboration with fashion label Alice and Olivia who help raise money for the IDF flies in the face of this and makes a mockery of it. The IDF stands credibly accused of Genocide and as such the RSC is open to the accusation of complicity. Hopefully it will withdraw immediately from this appallingly compromised relationship.”

Artists for Palestine UK commented:   “We are relieved to hear that in response to complaints from artists, the RSC leadership has said it will take this ‘really important topic’ to its ethics committee. Sustaining a relationship with companies that stand ‘proudly’ in support of Israel and raise funds for its army cannot be regarded as normal business practice. In order to live by its own principles, the RSC can now show leadership by adopting a policy that says it will not work with, nor receive money from, bodies that advocate for a state that is in total breach of international law and is carrying out a genocide. The RSC’s processes of due diligence must reflect this commitment.”