The Australia Council for the Arts has released a summary report 'International Arts Activity' that highlights the value of a strategic approach to international arts development and explores the existing activity and future priorities of the sector.

Australia Council Executive Director Arts Strategy Dr Wendy Were said the report was part of a significant body of research and analysis undertaken over the past year to provide a comprehensive overview of Australian international arts activity and identify high value international opportunities for Australian artists.

International development activity includes international presentation, residencies, collaborations and exchanges, networking, participation in festivals, fairs or showcasing platforms, translations and co-productions, all of which provide both short and long-term benefits to the artists involved and enrich our nation’s arts and cultural life.

“Australia is a culturally ambitious nation within a rapidly evolving global context,” said Dr Were. “Our distinctive and wonderfully diverse cultural identity is already on the world stage. More than one in three Australian artists are involved in international work and there is a growing interest in Australian work and artistic collaborations across established and emerging markets.”

“For it to be most effective, international arts investment must be grounded in knowledge of the arts sector’s international activities, ambitions, and support needs. We undertook this research to get a clear line of sight into what activities artists and arts organisations are pursuing, what their aspirations and priorities are, and what they need to reach their goals.”

The research involved an analysis of funding trends, interviews and focus groups with funding recipients, and a sector-wide survey to identify motivations, needs, challenges and future priorities.

The Council has invested around $11 million each year in international arts activity since 2010-11, and in addition regularly funds many arts organisations that work internationally. This strategic support has enabled artistic, market and audience development, as well as providing significant value to Australia’s cultural diplomacy agenda.

Australia Council support has increased mobility and participation of Australian artists in international projects and facilitated vital new networks and connections. Among the many benefits are an increased international profile for innovative Australian arts and the increased integration of international best practice into Australian arts infrastructure.

Download summary report International Arts Activity

Image: Gosia Wlodarczak, Frost Drawing for the Moscow Manege (2013) a 21-day drawing performance and installation on interior glass architecture of the Moscow Mange Exhibition Hall, the 5th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art: More Light, curated by Catherine de Zegher, Moscow. Pigment pen on glass, approximate overall size 230m2 – photo by Longin Sarnecki. Courtesy the artist and the Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art Foundation.