Though people that are not familiar with Australia might not know it, the Australian continent boasts a good number of literary, film and music achievements of international repute. That being said, it is true that the country’s geographical location may have led to it being overlooked in times past. Australia’s culture, history and geographical landscape have shaped its creative industry. In fact, the evolution of Australia’s film and fiction genres has led to the country’s creative productions being firmly placed on must watch lists.
Australian literary history began with the stories that were handed down from one generation of its original inhabitants (the Aborigines) to the next. Thanks to these narratives and songs, one can get a glimpse into the Aborigine’s ceremonies, past major events and their way of life. The arts scene continued to evolve with the arrival of European settlers and with the continent’s formative years as a destination for British convicts. The autonomy from British rule, increased immigration and rapid modernization all continued to push Australia’s creative scene forward.
Among the Australian authors that have established themselves on the world stage include Patrick White, Thomas Keneally and Geraldine Brooks. Not only have these authors successfully managed to showcase and positively influence the country’s literary scene, they have also won the top international awards between them. That includes the Nobel Prize for literature, the Booker Prize and the Pulitzer prize.
Australia’s film industry has produced some of the world’s biggest screen talents. Household names such as Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Heath Ledger all call Australia home. The country’s accomplished actors are not its only claim to fame though – its breathtaking landscape has also been the setting of numerous award winning films. For instance, several scenes of Mission Impossible 2, The Matrix and Superman Returns were shot on location in Sydney. Crocodile Dundee was shot in the Wetlands of Kakadu National Park and Rabbit Proof Fence at Flinder’s Range in Southern Australia.
As with its literature, Australian music has also seen substantial influence by Aboriginal culture. But other than that, the earliest forms of Australian non-aboriginal music told of the hardships experienced by convicts and settlers in the new lands. Immigration to the continent over the years saw the music evolve to country, jazz and contemporary.
Australia’s best known musical legends include Smoky Dawson and Buddy Williams who contributed to country music growth, Frank Coughlan and Graeme Bell who did the same for jazz scene and the Bee Gees, the Aztecs and AC/DC who are patrons of the country’s unique style of rock. Australia is also well known for its world class opera and symphony orchestras. Since the first operas appeared on the Australian art scene in the 19th century, today there is a symphony orchestra in each state of the country.
Australia’s creative industry continues to change with the times. But like with other nations, the growing influence of globalization and immigration is seeing the Australian art scene share ever more attributes with music genres from all over the world.
Read more about Australia’s states and territories
References:
http://www.australia.com/about/arts.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia#Culture
