Australian Embassy and Mission to the EU

Belgium-Luxembourg

Embassy address: Rue Guimardstraat 6-8, 1040 Brussels - Telephone: +32 (0) 2 286 0500 - Fax: +32 (0) 2 231 07 88

Culture

Australia's contemporary arts are as unique and diverse as the society and continent they come from. They reflect an ancient landscape that is home to both the world's oldest continuous cultural traditions and also to a rich mix of migrant cultures.

Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists alike respond to the imaginative challenges Australia presents in diverse ways and have developed new modes of expression that have brought Australia's art and culture to international attention.

Australian arts and artists have much to say and many unique ways to say it - Australia's physical isolation, rich Indigenous artistic traditions and diverse cultural influences have created a whole range of vibrant new art to share with the world.

The Australian film industry has a reputation for innovation and quality, and for producing unique films with an Australian flavour that have global appeal. Australia is increasingly the destination of choice for foreign film producers attracted by our diverse landscapes for location shooting, dozens of sound stages and studios, music scoring and post-production facilities, flexible and professional crews and world-renown actors.

Australia’s 20th-century artists include world figures such as Sydney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Brett Whiteley and Fred Williams. Highly regarded writers are notably the Nobel Prize winner Patrick White, Booker Prize winners Peter Carey and Thomas Keneally. But also important are Thea Astley, Robert Drewe, Helen Garner, Rodney Hall, Christina Stead, David Malouf, Frank Moorhouse, Tim Winton and Robert Dessaix.

Peter Weir, Bruce Beresford, George Miller and Gillian Armstrong are well-known Australian directors. Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Geoffrey Rush are all well-known actors who have served the Australian cinema and have been successful in American and European cinema.

Nick Cave, INXS, AC/DC, Midnight Oil, the Bee Gees and Kylie Minogue are all Australian Rock/Pop musicians famous all over the world.

On a more classical note, Dame Joan Sutherland is Australia’s best-known opera diva. But already before her, Nellie Melba - who took her name from her home town of Melbourne - was the world’s biggest opera star at the beginning of the 20th century. She is also rekown for giving her name to two famous dishes: the Peach Melba and the Melba toast.

To find out more about Australian Culture, please check the following websites:

Australian Government Culture and Recreation Portal
Australian Council for the Arts
Screen Australia
OzArts on line