Broome, sleepy, dusty, sub-tropical country town on the north west of Western Australia, with a population of only 7,000 has at least 5 working bands including the well known bands Kuckles and Scrap Metal - a myriad of solo performers as well as traditional Aboriginal musicians.
"From the time that whites arrived in Tasmania and up until 1983 Aboriginal performing arts especially theatre arts, had become almost as extinct as whites would have people believe Tasmanian Aborigines were. Not so!"
Emerging from the heart of central Australia is the most exciting and dynamic development in modern Australian art. The materials are modern -acrylic on canvas. But the content is traditional - mythical and ritual.
The people of Utopia have been making important visual images for thousands of years, on their bodies and ceremonial objects. In 1977 these images leapt onto lengths of silk via the batik technique and it was in this medium that the women of Utopia went on to establish a reputation for themselvs with their powerful images and distinctive style.
Located in the University of Adelaide in South Australia the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music was set up in 1972 in order that many aboriginal people both urban and tribal may develp effective skills of communicating their cultural, social, political and economic feelings through music to Australian people and the world at large.
Maningrida Art and Craft is synonymous with the best of contemporary traditional Aboriginal bark painting and sculpture, both major individual works and important collections.
In every area of the arts where Aborigines are participating there is an intense surge of creative vitality. Once could call it a renaissance period. When I began writing poetry, Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonucul) was the only recognised poet.