The Arts

Australian cities pride themselves on their cultural diversity and bohemian lifestyle, and when it comes to art, theatre and museums, culture vultures won’t be disappointed that they choose to go Down Under.

The arts in Australia reflect the diversity of the country and its people. Embracing a vibrant mixture of traditional and modern mediums Australians have achieved international recognition in music, dance, cinema, painting and theatre. Although Australia is not renowned for its distinctive voice in mainstream art forms, some great exponents have hailed from the ‘land of the long weekend’ Whether it be high opera icons such as Joan Sutherland, pop princess Kylie Minogue, film stars, Mel Gibson and Nicole Kidman or heavy rock favourites ACDC, Australia have had many people right at the top of their profession.

Visit the Australian government culture portal, and you’ll find a wealth of useful information about the Aussie cultural scene and events.

Arts attendance facts

• 85% of Australians attend at least one cultural event per year
• 65% of the population are cinema goers
• 25% go to live pop/rock
• 23% visit art galleries or museums
• 17% go to the theatre
• 16% attend the opera or musicals
• 10% got to live dance performance
• 9% attend classical music performances