Performing Arts in QLD
Arts organisations through Arts Queensland:
Arts and artists in Australia represent the same diversity of the people that make up the country itself. In the decades after the country was founded by the British, the art was influenced by the literature and theatre of the British Isles. As both the immigrant population from other countries increased and the profile of indigenous art was raised, the artistic diversity of Australia expanded. Many of the themes explored in Australian art are based on the country’s isolation from other countries with similar western cultures and the closeness to the Asian landmass. They also focus on the country’s unique flora, fauna and native culture. The danger, desolation, and lure of the Australian outback is also frequently discussed in the nation’s artistic works.
Many of Australia’s artists, both indigenous and European, have attempted to capture the beauty of the country’s bush. This area of the country has had as much hold over the settlers as the western frontier of the United States has over American pioneer artists, writers, and thinkers. Many of the themes that celebrate and ruminate over the outback’s harshness and beauty have been well-integrated by Australian artists of European descent into commonly accepted art forms. Many of Australia’s cities support classic European-influenced high culture, which encompasses opera, art galleries, ballet, and symphonies. There is also a large independent arts culture in many of the cities as well.
Much of Australia’s artistic works come about as a way of commemorating or making sense of various historical events before, during, and after the country’s founding. There have also been a number of works placing the outback as a post-apocalyptic setting for science fiction and dystopian stories. Some of these works highlight Australia’s history as a criminal colony, alluding to the country as a wild an uncivilized place still populated by outcasts and undesirable individuals. Immigrants to the country typically produce art that discusses the immigrant experience of people who share their nationality. Australia’s proximity to Asia and large Asian immigration population has led to a vibrant Asian arts scene, featuring traditional art and modern art mixed with traditional art.
The indigenous art of the country has its roots in the aboriginal Australian traditional Dreamtime stories. The Dreamtime is the mythological era during which the ancestral spirits of the aboriginals created the land and set down the framework and laws for the indigenous people. These myths inform aboriginals of their responsibilities toward the land and ways to respect its sanctity. Many aboriginal performances focus on these tales, which represent a fundamental aspect of indigenous Australian identity. These are typically seen in tribal ceremonial dances, but allusions to these stories are also found in music, theatre, and visual arts. Kooemba Jdarra Indigenous Arts is a theatre troupe comprised of aboriginal theatre actors that incorporates indigenous issues and cultural themes into its performances. It chooses to perform works that discuss the realistic challenges that aboriginal Australians face, and how these challenges play a part in the way they identify themselves. This theatre company is seen as culturally vital to keeping awareness of aboriginal issues alive in the Australian consciousness. It also serves to educate Australians unfamiliar with aboriginal culture about the native myths and legends.
