The art we’re not seeing

Performing artists and companies from Europe, the UK and North America still dominate our touring stages: do we have a cultural blind spot where other regions are concerned?
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Sri Lanka’s Chitrasena Dance Company will perform Dancing for the Gods at the 2015 Sydney Festival 

While rich in works from around the world, the programs of our international arts festivals tend to be dominated by productions and artists from Europe, the UK, the USA, Canada, and increasingly, Asia. So too are the programs presented at our major performing arts centres, including Sydney Opera House, Arts Centre Melbourne, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts