Arts In 30

Welcome to the Arts in 30 Weekender, where we're setting the news aside and sharing our tips on what to check out and what to skip from the world of the arts. With voting for the Radio National Top 100 Books well underway, we argue the case for genre fiction being among the best of the century and bring you some of our picks: China Mieville's The Scar and Terry Pratchett's Night Watch. Sky enthuse...

Meanjin is set to shut down after 85 years, with the board of their publisher, Melbourne University Press, saying that it’s a purely financial decision.  But is financial viability the metric that a literary magazine should be judged against? Former editor Jonathan Green takes us into the finances of running a literary magazine, and Ben Eltham explains why he's organising a protest to save Meanjin...

Tropfest, the biggest short film festival in the world, has been resurrected six years after it was last staged. With a slew of sponsors and partners, the new Tropfest must contend with a world which has embraced short-form video as a sort of default mode of expression online. Founder John Polson shares his vision for the return of the festival in uncertain times. And Iranian documentary maker Shi...

After a challenging 12 months, which saw the exit of the CEO and artistic director and a ten million dollar operating deficit, Opera Australia has announced a new leadership team: new CEO, new Chair, and a new director of music, with the artistic director role now split between music and opera. Dr Caitlin Vincent , author of Opera Wars, looks at what we should expect from the company in the coming...

More than 50 writers pulled out of the Bendigo Writers Festival over the weekend, as did the festival's official bookshop, after organisers sent a code of conduct to some speakers less than 2 days before the festival was due to begin. The code included advice that speakers 'avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful'. It also included the Universitie...

Last week, the productivity commission published their interim report on Harnessing data and digital technology. Among the ideas under consideration is a 'fair dealing exception' that would cover the text and data mining that is used to train generative AI models. The creative sector has been swift and vocal in their feedback, with key organisations across the country rejecting the idea. Professor...

Two online game platforms, Steam and Itch.io, have removed hundreds or thousands of games that are tagged as including adult content. They've said that the move was necessary because they were at risk of losing access to the financial institutions like Visa, Mastercard, and Paypal, that allow them to process transactions. Rainey Reitman and Kath Albury explain why those payment companies have gott...

What will the arts look like in Australia in a decade? And what could it look like with a plan and strategy that’s looking that far into the future?  A new paper is recommending a 10 year national arts and culture strategy and a ministerial council that brings together federal, state and local representatives. Kate Fielding, CEO of A New Approach , explains why the Government should learn from the...

Winning a film festival prize can launch an independent movie far beyond the festival circuit, leading to critical attention and international distribution deals. But in a space as subjective as the cinema, how does a jury pick their winner? Two members of the MIFF Bright Horizons jury, director Charlotte Wells and composer and musician Caitlin Yeo , share their perspectives. And earlier this year...

After a fourth round of layoffs have hit Microsoft's games division, what does it mean for the industry at large? And with comments from competitors like "I don't think Gamepass can co-exist with other models, they'll either kill everyone else, or give up," is Gamepass a boon for consumers or a death knell for artists? Jody Macgregor, weekend editor at PC Gamer, gets us up to speed And with 7.8 mi...

Khaled Sabsabi is once again Australia's representative to the 2026 Venice Biennale, after the Board of Creative Australia reversed their previous decision to rescind his invitation. Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, the former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, says that Instead of shying away from controversy, a strong agency would embrace it and work to engage the public. But after an...

UK punk duo Bob Vylan have the political world in an uproar after their set at Glastonbury Festival, which included some inflammatory language about Israel and Gaza. But Bob Vylan were far from the only act to speak out from the stage. UK journalist Ash Sarkar takes us into the battle of words between the government and musicians in the UK. Anna Wintour is stepping back from her role as editor-in-...

For decades, the assumption has been that if you're from one of the smaller towns in Australia and you want a career in the arts, you'll have to move to Melbourne. But, according to a new report tabled in the Victorian parliament last week on the cultural and creative industries, "It has never been harder for Victorians to make a living in the creative sector". Georgie Purcell, who headed that inq...

"A bottomless pit of plagiarism." That's how Disney and Universal have referred to Midjourney — a generative AI platform — in a new lawsuit that alleges significant copyright infringement. Reid Southen shares what he discovered in his research , which is quoted extensively in the lawsuit. Last year, the Triple J Hottest 100 had among the fewest Australian artists ever in the countdown. This year t...

Marg Horwell has taken home the Tony Award for best costume design for a play for the Broadway production of The Picture of Dorian Grey, adding to her collection after taking out the Olivier Award for the West End production last year. As part of their exploration of reforms begun last year, the Productivity Commission has called for submissions into "Harnessing data and digital technology" includ...

The Federal Government has given a proposed approval for an expansion of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project near Karratha in Western Australia. But Professor Benjamin Smith — an expert in world rock art — claims that the rock art at Murujuga, which is up to fifty thousand years old, is being degraded by recent industry and that the State Government is ignoring the evidence. The Ramsay Art Pri...

K.A. Ren Wyld won the Black&Write! Fellowship, only to have it withdrawn at the last minute over comments she had made on social media. Since then, at least seven judges have stepped down from their roles on the Queensland Literary Award in protest, and an open letter from First Nations writers has been published in support of Wyld. Evelyn Araluen, one of the judges and the organiser of the op...

Eurovision is a phenomenon in Australia, with more than 450-thousand people tuning in for the final this year. But what's it like to compete in this global extravaganza? And what impact does it have on a musician's career? Electric Fields, who represented Australia in 2024, share their experience at the competition. Hasib Hourani reads his NSW Literary award-winning poem you can start anywhere, yo...

Over the last few years, the European Union has set out to include art and culture in their diplomatic work in Australia. Around the opening of their latest exhibition, Inside Pompeii: Origins of a European Way of Life, the EU Ambassador, Gabriele Visentin, shares his perspective on the value of art, beauty, and cultural understanding. And Julie Fragar, the winner of the 2025 Archibald Prize, for...

NSW has become the first state to reinstate Michael's Rule for touring musicians, with the Minn's government offering a $20,000 discount on the hire of state owned venues for international acts that provide a platform for a local support act. Maggie Collins , the Executive Director of the Association of Artist Managers , talks about the impact that decision could have on the local industry. And Ti...

For almost a quarter of a century, Peter Rose has steered the Australian Book Review as its editor, giving a space for Australian writers to engage critically with the work of their peers, and the wider literary world beyond our shores. As Rose steps aside, he reflects on why criticism remains an essential part of the arts. New research paints a familiar picture, with those working behind the scen...

Australia heads to the polls on the 3rd of May to elect a new federal government. And while the campaign so far has centred on the cost of living, the result will also have a major impact on the arts. What are the most important issues for those working in the industry? And what would they like voters to think about as they head into the booth? Sophie Cunningham , Chair of the Australian Society o...

The Academy Awards have announced a new category, which will recognise the best stunt design in a film, but what does it take to actually pull off those stunts safely? Keir Beck , who has worked on everything from James Bond to Mad Max, takes us behind the scenes. The Art Gallery of NSW , one of the oldest and most prestigious art institutions in the country, recently announced a new director. Mau...

Whatever their medium, artists deal with sensitive topics, often taking a critical, anti-establishment approach. But at the moment, some artists are finding that their art, and their opinions, can see them shut out of the business. Leading arts figure Louise Adler discusses what arts organisations and leaders should do to protect the independence of the arts, and the impact that changes to boards...

In 2023, the Labor Government launched a major arts policy, Revive: a five year plan that promised substantial funding and a renewed focus on the arts by the Australian Government.  With Australia heading to the polls on May 3rd to elect a new Federal government, how has the reality stacked up against the commitments? And what would Revive look like under a second Labor term? Our track of the week...