Engaged audiences are attracted to opportunities to engage with what they perceive as contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. These audiences recognise and appreciate the diversity of artistic expression, but are increasingly attracted to contemporary art experiences: the stories being told and the ways in which they are presented and
communicated. The only exception to this is the theatre audience. Neither engaged nor potential theatre audiences emphasise the contemporary nature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Theatre audiences, as is demonstrated in the following section, are
motivated by the uniqueness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre and by a desire for deeper insight and understanding into Australia’s oldest living culture.
Engaged audience
Engaged visual arts audiences appreciate that visual art is a way that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and experiences, both historical and current, can be preserved and shared. Engaged audiences also express a strong interest in what they refer to as
“contemporary” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual art. For some engaged audiences, this is about a preference regarding the aesthetic of the art. One participant explains that they enjoy ‘contemporary Aboriginal art because it can be quite bright and colourful with a modern twist’ (VAEA). In this way, engaged audiences demonstrate their interest in a diversity of artistic expression and have an appetite for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island visual art across a range of mediums (i.e. painting, drawing, multimedia, photography, sculpture, ceramics etc.).
For many engaged audiences their interest in contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art relates to the contemporary stories depicted in the works of art. An engaged visual arts audience member explains that their preferred experience:
Would probably be the gallery that does the younger and the contemporary Aboriginal artist. And giving them the opportunity to stand up and say ‘I am Aboriginal and I am proud of it and this is my art. It might not be the storytelling of a hundred years ago, but this is what I did today’ (VAEA).
Engaged audiences are motivated by a desire to experience the full range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual art. They are, however, particularly motivated to engage with artists and work that captures and explores the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia today. This represents significant opportunities for
presenting organisations when commissioning works and developing exhibitions and public programs.
Engaged audiences are attracted to contemporary music as part of an inherent interest in the full spectrum of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music. Specific artists mentioned include Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Yothu Yindi, Dan Sultan, Busby Marou, Archie Roach, Kutcha Edwards with the Black Arm Band, Jessica Mauboy and Christine Anu. Engaged audiences appreciate the combination of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander instruments with more modern instruments and music production techniques to develop a new contemporary practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art:
61 It’s diverse as well as far as genres and the instruments. They incorporate their traditional instruments, but they obviously use modern instruments and techniques as well, really current stuff (MEA).
Engaged music audiences are interested in new sounds, new stories and new artists. They have an appetite for contemporary music and appreciate a range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists involved in the contemporary music scene. Engaged audiences are interested in supporting established artists, but are also actively seeking out new talent. This points to a time of great opportunity for emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
musicians to connect with audiences within their community and across Australia more broadly.
Many engaged dance audience members express a preference for experiencing what they perceive as modern or contemporary dance, rather than traditional or ceremonial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance. For some engaged dance participants, this is because they are yet to experience contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance and it has the appeal of something new and different. For others, it is because they believe that contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance is exciting and evolving: I saw Bangarra…it was really professional and it was obviously modern contemporary dance, so it was pretty impressive. I’m glad it was, I’m glad it’s gone away from the more traditional style, but it still has that flavour to it, which is important. I think they need to step away, to get away from just that simple kind of traditional dance…and that’s where the edgy art world is so I think it’s important (DEA).
This presents an opportunity for dancers and dance companies to deepen the level of engagement for existing audiences and have the courage to present more contemporary works.
Engaged literature audiences are interested in contemporary stories written by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors. Engaged audiences believe, however, that there is an expectation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers or authors to focus on historical material or on material that is specifically about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
experiences. One engaged audience member explains:
I don’t think Indigenous people should be limited…I think that it’s focusing a lot on historical past, but not like the future. Because we‘re going more modern and such and I don’t think there’s enough emphasis on the contemporary Aboriginal literature and art (LEA).
Despite interest by engaged audiences in such historical content, audiences are seeking stories written about the here and now by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers. Engaged audiences are attracted to contemporary Australian literature and book publishers and distributors have an opportunity to increase readership by showcasing contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literature.
Potential audience
Potential music audiences are attracted to a diverse range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music. They discuss a similar, although not as extensive list, as the engaged
audience, including Jessica Mauboy, Dan Sultan, Yothu Yindi, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu and Archie Roach. One potential audience member explains:
I like a variety of Indigenous performers, rather than just traditional or just modern. Artists are all different. Some like Jessica Mauboy, they’re in the mainstream part and you mentioned Dan Sultan and he’s kind of country, so a variety of music (MPA).
Potential music audiences’ experience with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander is more limited than engaged music audiences. They have generally been exposed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists that have received national attention. This exposure had ignited an interest in contemporary music, and the stories being told by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and also new artists telling new stories.
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