Last night (2 December), the Embassy of France in Australia honoured two Australian artists with one of its nation’s highest cultural distinctions, the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters).
Dr Elizabeth Cameron Dalman AM and Tony Albert (Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku Yalanji peoples) were knighted for their exceptional achievements in the arts and culture and for how they have bought those conversations to French audiences.
French Order honours – quick links
Meet the recipients
Dalman is one of Australia’s most significant figures in dance, and the founder and inaugural artistic director at the Australian Dance Theatre. She is currently founder and director of the Mirramu Creative Arts Centre and Mirramu Dance Company. She was recognised earlier this year in The King’s Birthday Honours List with an Order of Australia
Albert is a visual artist working across various media to explore representations of Aboriginal people. He was the inaugural Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow for the 2024 Biennale of Sydney, and Artistic Director for the fifth National Indigenous Art Triennial, After The Rain, which opens this weekend at the National Gallery of Australia.
Both centre mentoring and advocacy as part of their work as creative leaders.
Read: Thinking bigger: talking First Nations partnerships with Fondation Cartier
What Albert and Dalman had to say about their French Order
In his acceptance speech, Albert said: ‘I do not stand here alone. I am surrounded by the spirits, communities, mentors and family who have shaped me. For a First Nations artist to be recognised by France in this way speaks to something greater than personal achievement. It signals listening – une écoute profound – a deep and generous listening across cultures.’
Albert continued of the French Minister: ‘Your acknowledgment carries with it not just institutional recognition, but a gesture of cultural confidence, one that understands that art does not live only within national borders, but travels through memory, relationships and through the courage to see differently.’
On being bestowed her honour, Dalman likened her career in dance as a ride with the horse: ‘In my case, she [was] a warrioress – it is such a contest – and my horse has been the dance…Sometimes my hold on dance bolted, but she never threw me off.’
As Dalman’s metaphor cantered across location and decades, she concluded that, ‘Dance is a language of the soul; it communicates to all people. Dance brings people together and I believe it can help in bringing peace to our world…I receive this award not only for dance and for Australia, but for all of you as well.’
She concluded: ‘I always knew I was a dancer, and I feel very fortunate that I have known that…[I]t is something to share with other people as well. We have to remember that dance – movement – was our first language as human beings and when we dance, we can communicate with other people as well, and I believe it can help bring us all together, and at the moment I think it can bring peace to the world.’
About the French Order of Arts and Letters
Created in 1957, the French government guidelines for the awards stipulate that citizens of France must be at least 30 years old, respect French civil law, and must have ‘significantly contributed to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance’.
Membership, however, is not limited to French nationals, and is ‘without condition of age’ for foreign recipients.
It is believed the first documented Australian was Madame Hélène Blaxland in 1957, the same year the order was established.
Today, Albert and Dalman join Blaxland and numerous other Australians who have been awarded the Order of Arts and Letters, including singer Kylie Minogue (2008), musician Joseph Nolan (2016), flautist Jane Rutter (2017), film curator and festival director Michelle Carey (2017), gallerist and art patron Dr Gene Sherman (2016, Officier and Chevalier), art patron and advisor Matthias Arndt (2001), David Stratton AM (2001, Commandeur), Dr Robyn Archer AO (2001), Director the National Gallery of Australia Dr Nick Mitzevich (2021), actor Cate Blanchett (2003) and musician Nick Cave (2025).
The appointments are made three times a year.
