This Month
‘Australia seems incredibly sane compared to almost any place in the world’
Once known as the “homeless billionaire”, Nicolas Berggruen has been living in Sydney where he’s contemplating Australia’s position in a shifting world order.
The Australian industry nobody wants to run
The untold story of Fiona Allan’s abrupt departure as CEO of Opera Australia says everything about how perilous arts companies have become in 2025.
April
First Uyghur art show attempts to tell a different Chinese story
Former ambassador to China Geoff Raby has curated the work of Uyghur artist Aniwar Mamat to show a side of Chinese contemporary art not seen in Australia until now.
Art Basel Hong Kong reveals the resilience of the region’s collectors
The Americans and Europeans may have their worries, but the Chinese were splashing cash, and Australian collectors were back in greater numbers.
March
Inside the homes of Australia’s most connected art collectors
Ever wondered how to showcase artwork to let them shine? A new book peeks into the homes of prominent art collectors around the country.
Mass letter urges arts minister to act over Venice snub
More than 1000 people have signed an open letter to federal Arts Minister Tony Burke demanding the reinstatement of Australia’s representatives for the Venice Biennale.
Festival politicking shows why donors are walking away from the arts
The politicisation of philanthropy has led to artists and organisers engaging in their own ideological frolics using other people’s money.
This ‘masterpiece’ is 91pc likely to be a fake
It’s a mystery that’s kept the art world agog for decades – and now the whistleblower-in-chief has come back for another round.
January
The art curator building bridges between China and the world
X Zhu-Nowell, the unconventional artistic director of a Shanghai cultural institution, is on the lookout for artists from the Asia-Pacific region.
Former child actor becomes producer of a $1.7b show
Katrina Sedgwick played the first HIV-positive character on Australian TV. Now she’s running the $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project.
December 2024
Long dead, Jackson Pollock finally makes it to Paris
We all know about Blue Poles but a new retrospective at the Musée Picasso shows the troubled path the great abstract expressionist took to painting it.
Crowded House to A Christmas Carol: shows to see in December
Nutcrackers and Messiahs abound this month, but a fitting way to cap this cost-of-living year might be a night with Ebeneezer Scrooge. Or there’s always Neil Finn.
Major Sydney gallery to charge entry fee for first time in 25 years
From January 31, visitors to the Museum of Contemporary Art will have to pay $20 to get in. Chairwoman Lorraine Tarabay blames a decline in government funding.
The replicas that could end the Elgin Marbles row
The Greek and British governments are thought to be close to clinching a deal to return the treasures to Athens.
November 2024
What this ballerina eats backstage during The Nutcracker
Jill Ogai’s weekends are spent rehearsing, walking the dog and watching Disney+. And stocking up on lolly snakes.
Why Mick Jagger and Yves Saint Laurent loved this Marrakech hotel
This hidden boutique hotel where the rooms are dedicated to cultural icons doubles as an art gallery with a $10m collection.
Where did all the Jeffrey Smart paintings go?
Over the past decade, on average, 15 of the artist’s oils have sold each year, but only three have sold in 2024.
October 2024
The Aussie at the helm of the world’s wealthiest art museum
Timothy Potts oversees an extensive collection of European art, photography – and holograms – at The Getty in LA.
September 2024
Seven must-see shows this October
From a Bette Davis cabaret, to Celine Dion on the Titanic and a takeover in the Adelaide Botanic Garden, there are plenty of reasons to leave the house this month.
‘We’re not Logos by the Sea’: How to make arts sponsorships work
Transfield’s exit from Sydney Biennale in 2014 started a torturous recent history for corporate support, but there are still successful exceptions.