Art & culture

India - Art & culture overview

Country profile

• India ranked 25th in the world for Cultural Influence in the 2021 Best Countries rankings. Cultural Influence Ranking is based on an equally weighted average of scores from eight country attributes that relate to a country's cultural influence: culturally significant in terms of entertainment, fashionable, happy, has an influential culture, has strong consumer brands, modern, prestigious and trendy.
• India ratified The UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 1977. There are 40 Indian Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.
• India ratified The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions  in 2006.
• India has a unique assimilation of ethnic groups displaying varied cultures and religions. The Constitution of India has recognized 22 different languages that are prevalent in the country. Other than these 22 languages, there are hundreds of dialects that add to the multilingual nature of the country.
• As per UNESCO’ s Diversity and the film industry report, India stands out for the wide spectrum of local languages in its movies, none of which have a share over 17%, while most countries have monolingual or bilingual film production in their respective official languages. India was the 8th largest box office market in 2021.
• Invest India reports that India has the largest mobile gaming market in the world in terms of app downloads. India has more than 400 million gamers and more than 500 gaming studios. 
• The Jaipur Literature Festival held annually in India is considered one of the world's largest literary events.
• The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kerala, is the largest of its kind art exhibition and festival in South Asia and includes Australian representation in its exhibitions. 

Policies and initiatives

• Article 29 of the Indian Constitution states that “Any group of citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof, having a distinct language, script or culture of their own, shall have the right to conserve the same”.
• Article 51 A(F) of the Constitution dictates that “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture”.
• The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance, for the regulation of archaeological excavations, and for the protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects. The Act was amended in 2018 to allow construction of public works in ‘prohibited areas’ for public purposes.
• In its 2020-2021 budget the Government of India provided funds for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation, and also set aside Rs 3150 crore (AUD 558 million) for the Ministry of Culture.
• The National Policy for Conservation of Ancient Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Remains (NPC – AMASR) is the key policy for the protection and conservation of India’s ancient monuments, and archaeological and heritage sites protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. 
• NITI Aayog’s Working Group Report on Improving Heritage Management in India is an effort to understand the current challenges of heritage management in India and to provide a future roadmap along with an appropriate branding of India’s invaluable archaeological and built heritage.
• The Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors (YUVA) scheme is a mentorship program aimed at training 75 aspiring writers under 30 years, who are ready to express themselves and project India and its culture and literature globally. 
• The Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to Artistes aims to improve the financial and socio-economic status of older artists and scholars in penury who have contributed or are continuing to contribute culturally in their areas of specialisation. 
• The Scheme for Scholarships to Young Artistes in Different Cultural Fields seeks to give assistance to young artists with outstanding promise in classical music, Indian classical dance, theatre, mime, visual art, folk, traditional and indigenous arts and light classical music for advanced training within India. 
• The Ministry of Culture offers scholarships and financial assistance through various schemes to promote Indian art and culture and also to promote International Culture Relations.
• Financial Assistance for Cultural Activities in Performing Arts for Building Grants Including Studio Theatres is provided by the Government of India to support voluntary cultural organisations and government-aided cultural organisations in their efforts to create appropriately equipped training, rehearsal and performance spaces for artists.
• The Government of India has taken various steps to facilitate diaspora engagement, and in 2016 launched the Know India Program (KIP) which aims to familiarise Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India (including Indian culture and history).
• The Scheme for Safeguarding the Intangible Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India, aims to reinvigorate and revitalise various institutions, groups, individuals, identified non-Ministry of Culture institutions, non-government organisations, researchers and scholars so that they may engage in activities/projects for strengthening, protecting, preserving and promoting the rich intangible cultural heritage of India. 
• The National Handicraft Development Programme aims to increase market knowledge across the handicrafts sector, and to expand production of handicrafts so as to increase the exports. The 2021 Union Budget proposed to rationalise duty on the import of raw materials as an incentive to exporters of handicraft items to give a boost to the sector. Other initiatives such as the Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojna, Mega cluster scheme, Marketing support and services scheme and Research and development scheme aim to provide support to artisans and handicrafts.
• The Indian Government has announced that it will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) Centre for Excellence in collaboration with IIT Bombay.
   

Governance structure

• India’s Ministry of Culture is responsible for the preservation and conservation of India’s cultural heritage and the promotion of all forms of art and culture, both tangible and intangible. There are two attached offices under the Ministry of Culture of significance, namely the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the National Archives of India. The ASI, is the premier organisation for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of India. The National Archives of India is the custodian of the records based on their enduring value.
• The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) under the Ministry of Culture is a centre for research, academic pursuit and dissemination in the field of the arts.
• The Indian Literature Abroad project initiated by the Ministry of Culture, supports and facilitates the promotion and translation of heritage and contemporary literature from the Indian languages into major foreign languages (especially those recognized by UNESCO).
• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is responsible for policy matters related to the private broadcasting sector, also having jurisdiction over the public broadcasting Prasar Bharati network, multi-media advertising and publicity of the policies and programs of the Union Government, film promotion and certification and regulation of print media.
• The Press Council of India works towards preserving the freedom of the press and maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India.
• The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952, which manages the screening of films including short films, documentaries, television shows and their promotion in theatres or their broadcasting via television.
• The National Gallery of Modern Art is the premier art gallery under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The main museum at Jaipur House in New Delhi was established on 29 March 1954 by the Government of India, with subsequent branches in Mumbai and Bangalore.

Australia - Art & culture overview

Country profile

• Australia ranked 16th in the world for Cultural Influence in the 2021 Best Countries rankings. Cultural Influence Ranking is based on an equally weighted average of scores from eight country attributes that relate to a country's cultural influence: culturally significant in terms of entertainment, fashionable, happy, has an influential culture, has strong consumer brands, modern, prestigious and trendy.
• In 2018-19, cultural and creative activity in Australia was valued at AUD 115.8 billion. The industries that contributed most to this activity were design (AUD 45.3 billion), fashion (AUD 14.7 billion), broadcasting, electronic or digital media and film (AUD 9.2 billion), and literature and print media (AUD 8.0 billion).
• The Australian digital gaming industry was valued at over AUD 4.029 billion in 2018, with game development studios having 1,275 full-time employees and 91% of Australian households owning a video game device. 
• Australia ratified the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 1974. There are 20 Australian Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. 
• Australia ratified The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in 2009.
• Australia was the 10th largest box office market in 2020. Australia has some of the world’s oldest and most popular film festivals, including the Australian International Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Melbourne International Animation Festival and Sydney Film Festival.
• The Australian Centre for the Moving Image, showcases the Dietze Family Trust archive, a Melbourne-based collection of more than 3,000 cultural artefacts gathered from the legendary Indian film studio, Bombay Talkies.

Policies and initiatives

• The Section 28 of the Human Rights Act 2019 lists the cultural rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensuring that they hold distinct cultural rights as Australia’s first people. The Act says that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must not be denied this right, with other members of their community, to live life as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is free to practice their culture.
• Most Australian states and territories have enshrined multicultural principles in legislation, charters or policy. At the federal level, the proposed Multicultural Bill 2018 remains before the senate. The Bill would provide a national approach to the principles of diversity and multiculturalism and seeks to establish an Australian Multicultural Commission.
• Australian Heritage Council Strategic Plan 2018-2021 sets out the work and direction of the Australian Heritage Council, including giving advice to the Minister in relation to nominating, conserving and protecting places on the National Heritage List or Commonwealth Heritage list, as well as on other aspects of heritage including promotion of heritage, national policies on heritage, grants and other heritage matters.
• The Government allocated AUD 222.9 million (INR 1242.8 crores) over two years from 2020-21 to support the arts sector through the impacts of COVID-19. The Australian Government has set up a Creative Economy Taskforce to help the arts sector recover from COVID-19. 
• The National Cultural Heritage Account is a grant program that assists Australian cultural organisations to acquire significant cultural heritage objects that they could not otherwise afford.
• The National Performing Arts Partnership Framework was launched by the Australian and all state and territory governments in October 2019 to provide a cohesive and collaborative national approach to sustainable arts funding and to guide effective decision making for the sector.
• The Office of Arts has led various initiatives and schemes:
  • to protect national and international movable cultural heritage, promote indigenous arts and languages, promote Australian literature, performing arts, regional arts and visual arts. The Office of Arts also provides advice to the government and the sector on best practices for collecting cultural material, developing quality collections and ensuring ethical collecting in Australia.
  • to provide funding support to the arts and entertainment sector. Key programs include  Arts Sustainability Fund, Show Starter Loan Scheme, Regional Arts Fund, Indigenous Visual Art Industry Support Program, Australian Lending Rights Scheme.
  • The National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach program aims to bring Australian and overseas cultural material to all Australians through national tours, and help tour Australian works overseas
• The Prime Minister's Literary Awards celebrate outstanding literary talent in Australia and the valuable contribution Australian literature and history makes to the nation's cultural and intellectual life.
• The Australia Council is instrumental in supporting the Australian arts through various initiatives:
  • The Visual Arts and Craft Strategy (VACS) is a formal agreement between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to support the Australian contemporary visual arts sector by providing directed funding for individual artists, arts and craft organisations, arts events and artist run initiatives.
  • The Australia Council’s grants program supports a diverse range of artists, artistic practice, organisations and arts activity. The Council encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and from artists with disability and accepts applications in Languages Other Than English (LOTE).
  • Creating Our Future: Results of the National Arts Participation Survey, conducted by the Australia Council explores Australians’ engagement with and attitudes towards the arts.
  • The Australia Council’s first Response Package supports artists, arts practitioners, arts groups and arts organisations coping with the impact of COVID-19.
  • The Australia Council remains actively committed through its various International strategic initiatives to support Australian artists and organisations to stay connected internationally and respond to ongoing challenges to cross-border collaboration. 
  • The Digital Culture Strategy sets out a vision for a digitally enabled and thriving arts and cultural industry and provides a framework to guide the approach and priorities for digital development.
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade supports cultural diplomacy through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program (ACDGP). 
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Australia India Council grants provide support for professional, community and institutional linkages between Australia and India on contemporary issues of shared interest including business, education, innovation, science, technology, the arts, media and sport.
• The Minister for Communications has requested an inquiry at the House of Representatives Committee to report on Australia’s creative and cultural industries and institutions.
• The Australian Government is introducing a 30% tax offset for local and international businesses that develop digital games in Australia. It is expected to attract international developers to set up  games studios in Australia.
• At the state level, cultural and creative industry policy is very well developed in certain jurisdictions. Creative Victoria recently issued its next creative industries strategy for Victoria – Creative State 2025 which seeks to strengthen and grow the state's creative industries. South Australia has a ten-year plan to grow its creative industries, and has listed creative industries as one of its priority growth sectors.

Governance structure

• The Australian Heritage Council is the principal adviser to the Australian Government on heritage matters. The Council assesses nominations for the National Heritage List, and the Commonwealth Heritage List. The Department of the Environment is also responsible for heritage issues. The Office of Arts, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication supports inclusiveness and growth in Australia's creative sector, and protects and promotes Australian content and culture. T
• he Australia Council for the Arts is the Australian Government's arts funding and advisory body, and focuses on increasing the visibility of Australia's arts and culture. It also leads policy advice and funds empirical research and remains actively committed to supporting Australian artists and organisations to stay connected internationally and respond to ongoing challenges to cross-border collaboration.
• The Australian Press Council was established in 1976 and is responsible for promoting good standards of media practice, community access to information of public interest, and freedom of expression through the media. The Press Council is also the principal body with responsibility for responding to complaints about Australian newspapers, magazines and associated digital outlets.
• The Classification Board classifies every film, computer games, publications and bona fide art works before they can be legally made available to the public, unless they are exempt or being shown at a registered event. 

Bilateral frameworks for cooperation between India and Australia

• Bilateral agreements signed between Australia and India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Australia in 2014 included arts & culture.
• Confluence: A Festival of India in Australia is an annual event held at multiple venues across Australia, supported by the High Commission of India in Australia and produced by pioneering arts and Entertainment Company Teamwork Arts and Australia-based Gandhi Creations. Confluence aims to bring India and Australia closer in a bond which unites the arts with the deep ties of friendship
• In 2018 Australia hosted a major cultural festival in India The festival aim to deepen the engagement between our two countries and further strengthen people-to-people ties.

Trade and investment opportunity

• India’s National Education Policy 2020 acknowledges the importance of the humanities and social sciences to address societal issues, climate concerns and to graduate well-rounded citizens. The NEP calls for high-quality interdisciplinary research across fields rooted in a deep understanding of the social sciences and humanities.
• The Indian Government has announced that it will set up ten Indian Institutes of Liberal Arts/ Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) based on the model and standards of the Indian Institutes of Technology.
• India’s Australia Economic Strategy acknowledges the potential for greater bilateral collaboration, given Australia’s strong capabilities in social sciences, humanities, art and music, evidenced by strong international rankings. Partnerships in these sectors between India and Australia are strong at the researcher level; the AES suggests that a research fund, with a contribution of USD 10 million from each country, focusing on humanities and social sciences, could facilitate greater collaboration with Australian universities.
• The Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA)’s report Australia’s Energy Transition Research Plan, sets out the multidisciplinary challenges and singles out the need to fund humanities and social sciences research as a priority. The report finds that while Australia performs well in science, engineering and technology related energy research, there is an urgent need for research in the humanities, arts and social sciences to achieve a successful energy transition and to engage people in the context of their lives, jobs and communities.
• Invest India is promoting mobile gaming as an investment opportunity and the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) is working with the government to introduce 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), while the Australian Government recently  announced a 30% Digital Games Tax Offset as part of a $1.2 billion Digital Economy Strategy to support Australia "taking a greater share of the $250 billion global game development market". Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA) is the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry and supports the business and public policy interests of the games industry, through advocacy, research and education programs.
• The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT), presents a unique mix of the most exciting and important contemporary art from the region and offers a cross-cultural insight. These series include various Indian artists, commissions and acquisitions.
• Asia TOPA is a stunning and multi-art form collection of works over the three-month long festival that explores the connections between contemporary Australia and its growing diaspora. The 2020 program focused on new work creation alongside presentations of iconic and legendary artists and reflects the contemporary imagination and lived experience of artists from the entire Asia-Pacific region. 
• The National Gallery of Australia’s (NGA) Divine worlds brings together masterpieces of Indian painting from the collection of the National Gallery of Australia. Dating from the 15th to the 20th century, the paintings range from exquisite intimate miniatures to vast hunting scenes, monumental pilgrimage maps and brilliantly coloured devotional shrine hangings. Celebrating the traditions of Hindu, Jain and Islamic India, the paintings are rich in legend, regal drama and romance. Divine worlds offers a magnificent opportunity to revel in rarely seen treasures from the national art collection.
• The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is celebrating the unique artistic traditions developed by diverse indigenous and regional communities across India, through its Transforming Worlds: Change and Tradition in Contemporary India. This collection explores the ways artists and creatives are using these visual languages to respond to India’s rapidly changing social and physical environments.
• The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is the largest festival of its kind in Australia, celebrating the best of Indian cinema in all its forms. The festival presents a diverse selection of movies that encapsulates the best of Indian cinema and films from the Indian sub-continent.

Cooperation and collaborations

• The Indian Partner Arts Scholarship is awarded to recognise academic excellence for Indian students from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi; St Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata; and The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. Scholarship recipients are provided the opportunity to study at any postgraduate program in the Faculty of Arts at Macquarie University in Australia.
• Lady Shri Ram College has been running an exchange program at an undergraduate level in social-sciences with La Trobe University for almost 25 years.
• Two Oceans: a collaboration of Carnatic music and jazz is a musical collaboration between the Australian Art Orchestra and Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani’s Sruthi Laya Ensemble. The collaboration between these two accomplished groups began in the 1990s and demonstrates a growing number of people-to-people links between Australia and India in the arts and other fields.
• Expressions of India held at Lawrence Wilson Gallery, University of Western Australia brought together a small collection of Indian paintings from the Ronald and Catherine Berndt Bequest. The selection of works provide a glimpse into pockets of everyday life from across India and from varying contexts.
• Under the Australian Research Council Grants the following projects have received funding in the Art and Culture sector:
  • In 2020, University of Tasmania undertook a research project on the theme Beyond Extinction: Reconstructing the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) Archive which included country specific study of India.
  • In 2015, University of Sydney undertook a research project themed Media Classification Systems: An International Comparative Study which included country specific study of India.
  • In 2015, Macquarie University undertook a research project themed A Secular State? Reason, Religion, and the Australian Polity 1788-1945 which included country specific study of India.