At the other end of the Pacific, Australia has a stunningly rich and diverse tapestry of First Nations culture and storytelling. Yet, it fails to articulate a positive, unifying, contemporary cultural image to international audiences. This nation is a deeply creative place. Yet, it is overlooking significant misses in leveraging its creative industries and exporting its content in worldwide markets. As other countries, such as South Korea and Japan, effectively leverage their cultural assets, Australia is urged to adopt a more coordinated approach to its cultural exports.
While Australia’s international reputation is still riding high, worries continue about its capacity to sell the virtues of its diverse cultural experiences to the world. Experts say a lack of awareness of contemporary Australian culture severely hampers Australia’s engagement with international audiences. This absence of an identity means that Australia is missing out on very profitable potential exports.
South Korea has demonstrated a robust model for cultural export through its “coordinated, export-driven cultural strategy.” This method allows South Korea the flexibility to move with the shifting winds of international streaming services. It further holds the country accountable for protecting revenue and cultural representation. Similarly, the Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), a one-stop cultural industry development hub, manages funding through a competitive creative content project incubation program. Australia would serve itself well by adopting a similarly streamlined approach.
Japan has carved out a niche with its anime industry, which has achieved remarkable global success. In 2024, the sector added a record of JPY3.84 trillion, or roughly $37.8 billion, to Japan’s economy. This milestone serves as a reminder of the great potential that an adequately supported creative sector holds. This growth of anime first started receiving international attention in the 1980s, without state support at first. Japan has recently adopted a New Cool Japan Strategy. This directive is intended to respond to the rapid digitization that has taken place post-COVID and grow the international content-related industry to $198 billion by 2033.
Additionally, Australia’s support for cultural projects is deeply fragmented across dozens of municipalities and other organizations, making it difficult to develop a comprehensive plan. The nation has experienced “one of the worst creative goods trade deficits in the world,” highlighting the urgent need for reform in how it manages and promotes its cultural exports.
Kate Fielding, national cultural leader and former government cultural advisor, highlighted the many examples of Australian triumphs in arts and culture-based economies. “We need to celebrate those victories!” she said jubilantly. We should be more honest than we often are, as we are when it comes to other forms of global export.
Fielding emphasized that any successful cultural export must organically emerge from artists themselves, supported and amplified by government initiatives. She added, “I don’t think it’s up to the Australian government to dictate where our creative industries go but we can’t ignore how critical they are and how much funding and support they need to be successful.”
Roald Maliangkay echoed these sentiments, suggesting that Australia has a long journey ahead in fully appreciating and developing its cultural and creative industries. “Part of the lag for us as a nation has been maturing and understanding that we have excellent cultural and creative contributions to make to the world,” he noted.
Maliangkay’s closing remarks were unequivocal. Australia is now called to behave like an adult country. It’s high time to enhance its cultural exports. “I think it is time for us to really step forward as a mature nation and take those steps,” he added.
“Our cultural exports — from film and television to literature, music, design and art — are among the best in the world,” a spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Communications and the Arts stated. “They tell the story of who we are and play an important role in strengthening Australia’s voice and relationships.”
Melissa Conley Tyler pointed out that Australia could achieve significant gains in the cultural realm with relatively minimal investment compared to traditional sectors like defense. “We can do so much in the cultural and creative realm for really very little money compared to the amount of money that, say, defense equipment costs,” she explained.
Australia’s distinct stories and modes of artistic expression are a powerful source for soft power on the global stage. Dr. Sung-Ae Lee suggested that adopting a whole-of-government framework linking creative funding with trade, diplomacy, and education could turn Australia’s artistic strengths into a cohesive and recognizable cultural brand.
“A lot of those people … are really, really low paid,” noted Tets Kimura when discussing the challenges faced by creators in the industry. Artists face a high degree of economic insecurity, something that can limit their capacity for creative output.
