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Theperforming arts in Australia are an important element of theArts in Australia andAustralian culture.
Dance in Australia is diverse, ranging fromThe Australian Ballet to theRestless Dance Company to the many localdance studios.
Aboriginal song was and remains an integral part of Aboriginal culture since time immemorial. The most famous feature of their music is thedidgeridoo. This wooden instrument, used amongst the Aboriginal clans of northern Australia, makes a distinctive droning sound and its use has been adopted by a wide variety of non-Aboriginal performers.
Aboriginal musicians have turned their hand to Western popular musical forms, often to considerable commercial success. Some notable examples includeArchie Roach, theWarumpi Band,NoKTuRNL andYothu Yindi.
Australia has produced a wide variety of popular music. While many musicians and bands (some notable examples include the 1960s successes ofThe Easybeats and the folk-pop groupThe Seekers, through the heavy rock ofAC/DC and the slick pop ofINXS and more recentlySavage Garden have had considerable international success, there remains some debate over whether Australian popular music really has a distinctive sound. Perhaps the most striking common feature of Australian music, like many other Australian art forms, is the dry, often self-deprecating humour evident in the lyrics.
Until the late 1960s, many have argued that Australian popular music was largely indistinguishable from imported music: British to begin with, then gradually more and more American in the post-war years. The sudden arrival of the 1960s underground movement into the mainstream in the early 1970s changed Australian music permanently:Skyhooks were far from the first people to write songs in Australia, by Australians, about Australia, but theywere the first ones ever to make money doing it. The two best-selling Australian albums ever made (at that time) put Australian music on the map. Within a few years, the novelty had worn off and it became commonplace to hear distinctively Australian lyrics and sometimes sounds side-by-side with the imitators and the imports.
The national expansion ofABC youth radio stationTriple J during the 1990s has greatly increased the visibility and availability of homegrown talent to listeners nationwide. Since the mid-1990s a string of successful alternative Australian acts have emerged – artists to achieve both underground (critical) and mainstream (commercial) success includesilverchair,Grinspoon,Powderfinger andJet.
The first Australian musician of any sort to achieve international fame was operaticsopranoNellie Melba, in the late 19th century. Well-known sopranoJoan Sutherland is also from Australia.
Australia has a considerable history of classical performance, with symphony orchestras established around the state capitals in the early 20th century, as well as opera companies and other musical ensembles. However, relatively few Australian classical compositions have achieved lasting recognition.
There are a number of major performing arts organisations engaged in the performing arts. There was an enguiry held in 1999, chaired byHelen Nugent, the report of the enquiry led to significant change, particularly in government support through theAustralia Council and the then Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.[1]
Performing Arts Connections Australia (PAC Australia), formerly theAustralian Performing Arts Centres Association (APACA), is the peak national body for performing arts centres. It was founded some years before 2003, and changed its name to PAC Australia in 2017.[2][3][4] As of 2022[update] it has over 240 members, which includearts centres, independent producers and producing companies, festivals, performing arts consultants, agencies and funding bodies.[5]
In 2003 APACA created theDrover(s) Awards, to recognise excellence inperforming arts touring. As of 2019, there were two awards: the Drover Award for Performing Arts Centre of the Year, and Drover Award for Tour of the Year. The awards were not held in 2020 and 2021 owing to the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Australia.[6]
From 2022, the format and name were changed, toImpact Awards. There are no categories or structure for award eligibility in the new awardsThe Wendy Blacklock Industry Legend Award (formally known as Touring Legend) is the highest award, to recognise "exceptional, long-time service to the performing arts industry, not limited to touring". It is named in honour ofWendy Blacklock AM, pioneer of national touring and founder ofPerforming Lines. This award was won byStephen Page in its inaugural year.[7] Adelaide-basedActNow Theatre won one of the four other awards given to performers,[8] whileHome of the Arts (HOTA), a venue inSurfers Paradise, won an Innovator Award.[9]
Significant performing arts organisations include:[1]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) List of performing arts training institutions funded by the Australian Government