The federal government’s Asian white paper highlights the contribution the arts sector can make to engagement with the region. Local artists and institutions are already reaching out.
READ MOREArticles by Ben Eltham
How government austerity is squeezing smaller arts groups
Tight state government revenues mean small-to-medium arts companies face an uncertain future. Is the golden age of funding coming to an end?
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Will the stars align for Queensland’s new arts bet?
Queensland’s new Arts Minister has established a “superstar fund” to bring high-profile performing artists to the Sunshine State. But can she find a hit?
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Festival’s artistic laboratory a hive of all-star talent
The HIVE Lab is an innovative experiment in connecting some of Australia’s most interesting artists. And there’s a history of artistic result.
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Logic says film post-production firms struggling
The consolidation of the Australian post-production industry — led by Animal Logic — is another symptom of the highly competitive nature of global creative industries.
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Two-speed performing arts sector drags down attendance
New data released by the Australia Council confirms stagnating audiences for the nation’s largest performing arts organisations. But companies say it’s not as bad as it looks.
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NIDA dramatics ignore play on arts education
The war of words over the National Institute of Dramatic Arts distracts from the real debate about arts education. Why is the institute so gold-plated in the first place?
READ MOREQld budget: arts cuts will silence smaller shows
Arts Queensland’s budget cuts will hit Queensland’s artists and small cultural organisations hardest. They won’t help minister Ros Bates’ dire standing in the Queensland arts sector.
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Performing arts audiences stagnating: Crikey analysis
A major new analysis of public source attendance data for Australian performing arts companies published today by Crikey reveals stagnating audiences across the sector.
READ MOREThe day the music died (in store) goes to retail woes
Musicians and music lovers may have a fondness for their bricks-and-mortar stores, but the demise of Allans Billy Hyde shows music is not immune from the changes sweeping retail.
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Follow the OzCo money to find arts uncertainty
Arts Minister Simon Crean has announced that the “reform of the Australia Council” has begun. But not everyone is happy about the process, and the timetable remains uncertain.
READ MOREWith Cate gone, can hubby keep the dollars at STC?
Was the Sydney Theatre Company’s decision to re-appoint Andrew Upton driven by the sponsorship dollars his wife can attract? Ben Eltham looks at Australian theatre beyond Cate Blanchett.
READ MOREFestival of sport and arts: blink and you won’t miss it
Do the arts and sport mix? More than 16 million people have taken part in a country-wide festival of culture to coincide with the Olympics. But like the rest of the Games, the artistic legacy is short.
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If MONA is our Guggenheim, does Walsh deserve a free pass?
Philanthropic punter David Walsh is battling to keep his millions. So what happens to his celebrated Museum of Old and New Art if he goes down? Ben Eltham examines a unique and precarious gallery model.
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In a world of art, advancing Australia’s fairs
As Australia’s largest art fair opens next week in Melbourne, Crikey examines the growing importance of art fairs in an increasingly global art market. Australia is emerging as a player.
READ MOREWho’s making money in art? Everyone but the artists
The National Association for the Visual Arts is running a campaign on artists fees at the moment. It tells us a lot about the risks of being an artist.
READ MOREDo the arts need to dry out? An addictive cultural cocktail
If you drink and make art … It’s time for artists and the industry broadly to have a mature conversation about alcohol in our industry.
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Baillieu cuts Victorian arts funding: ‘tough, but not killer’
Crikey can reveal the Victorian government today will announce significant funding cuts in its arts portfolio. Smaller companies will be hit hardest.
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Newman swimming in a budget that’s a sea of red
Campbell Newman’s public service cuts reflect a nation-wide crisis of revenue for the states, but also a political perspective on the danger of debt.
READ MOREBum notes in Australian music education
The troubles of the Australian National University’s music school are merely a symptom of a wider funding problem across the creative arts, write Ben Eltham and Luke Jaaniste.
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Dancing with the past: Dancehouse on 20 years of performance
Melbourne’s Dancehouse is celebrating its 20th anniversary next week with a retrospective of work from its storied past. It promises to be a rare treat for dance lovers.
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Creative licence: NSW designs an artistic landscape
The NSW government has created a creative industries taskforce. But does all-compassing industry policy deliver?
READ MOREThe minister, the speech and the troubled arts department
Queensland Arts Minister Ros Bates fired her top arts bureaucrat for a speech she plagiarised from Labor. But Bates was in the chamber when the speech she copied was first read out. Ben Eltham reports on the turmoil up north.
READ MORECato takes Ken-do attitude to better-functioning future
Design’s evangelical guru Ken Cato is passionate about the impact the craft has on society. Crikey got the good word at the agIdeas conference in Melbourne.
READ MOREOz Council review: smart reform, but will Crean have the cash/courage?
Angus James and Gabrielle Trainor’s review of the Australia Council is a bold yet sensible reform blueprint for an organisation that badly needs reform. But can it really be implemented?
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