Marcus Westbury
Most artists are tough
Marcus Westbury Are artists fragile creatures in need of nurturing and protection or are they robust and capable of fending for themselves? In my experience, artists are among the most resourceful, enduring,...
Cultural events hard hit by bureaucratic regulations
Marcus Westbury How often does it have to happen? How many times has government - in order to solve one problem such as late-night violence and antisocial behaviour in notorious nightclub zones - implemented a...
Why don't people laugh in art galleries?
Marcus Westbury Perhaps it's because my brain is still on holidays and I'm more inclined to laze around, wander up the street, and generally while away my days unproductively than to take art, culture and its...
Artistic light shines on Europe's streets of decay
Marcus Westbury There is a palpable sense of decline, decay and even a little despair in Europe. I've spent the past few weeks passing through major centres such as Dublin, London and Cologne and made a few side...
ABC has learnt from mistakes
Marcus Westbury The Australia Council and the ABC provide two radically different examples of how cultural agencies can deal or fail to deal with technological change.
Real cultural fusion cannot be bought
Marcus Westbury I SPENT a day last month searching for a mirage in the desert. Oil-rich Abu Dhabi plans to get into culture in a big way.
Average Hollywood film on par with construction of the pyramids
Marcus Westbury The dominant cultural form of the 20th century is starting to unravel.
Should we be funding opera?
Marcus Westbury Lyndon Terracini has been outspoken and surprisingly frank about the limitations of Australia's major performing arts companies in recent weeks.
