India and Australia Creative Industries Network Forum strengthens transnational Arts collaborations
The University of Melbourne, in partnership with Creative Australia and ASIA TOPA, co-convened the second India and Australia Creative Industries Network Forum, held online last week and attended by 70 participants from across both nations. Building on the momentum of the landmark Delhi Forum, which took place at the University’s Melbourne Global Centre – Delhi in September 2024, the event echoed its call to deepen creative connections between India and Australia.
In her opening remarks, Professor Sara Wills, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) at the University of Melbourne, reflected on the power of cross-cultural exchange:
“Bringing creative practitioners, researchers and cultural leaders from across India and Australia together in this forum allows us to listen, learn and inspire each other, strengthening our creative industries but also the vital people-to-people connections that underpin our relationship. The partnerships showcased here demonstrate the immense potential of collaboration to innovate, grow and celebrate our shared commitment to the arts.”
The forum spotlighted current collaborations at the forefront of transnational arts engagement, including a vibrant exchange between ASIA TOPA (Australia) and Serendipity Arts Festival (India), experimental joint projects from Liquid Architecture (Australia) and Sarai (Delhi), and a major conservation and curatorial partnership between the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Art and Photography (Bengaluru).
Participants, ranging from artists to curators and cultural leaders, explored urgent themes for the sector: the evolving landscape of arts in India; the impact of new media and technology on filmmaking; and innovative strategies for building future creative capacities. In particular, the program underscored the importance of collaboration with institutions such as Shiv Nadar University and the enrichment gained through partnerships between Science Gallery Bengaluru and Science Gallery Melbourne.
Forum sessions highlighted how ongoing cultural engagement and knowledge sharing not only support artistic innovation but also expand educational capacities and institutional partnerships between India and Australia. Panellists spoke to the strength of India’s creative sector, which is valued at an estimated AUD 30 billion and employs 8% of the nation’s total population, and discussed the increasing visibility and impact of the Indian diaspora in Australia, now nearly one million strong.
Zainab Syed, Director of International at Creative Australia, emphasised the long-term significance of these connections:
“Collaboration and creativity transcend borders. This network provides a platform to deepen relationships, inspire artistic exchange and share knowledge. A key to unlock the rich potential that exists between our two sectors, is to invest in diasporic led engagement. These creatives are not only interlocutors but also broaden opportunities, and offer insights inaccessible to us otherwise - shaping a shared future where creative expression and cultural exchange are at the forefront of Australia and India’s engagement.”
As demonstrated by the enduring work of creative organisations, including Asia TOPA, Serendipity Arts Festival, Liquid Architecture and others featured at the forum, cultural exchange between India and Australia forms a critical bridge for mutual understanding, economic growth and people-to-people diplomacy.
Over the past year, the India and Australia Creative Industries Network has become an increasingly important platform for emerging leaders, students and established practitioners to learn from and with one another. The forum’s online format enabled even broader participation, continuing the momentum towards ongoing, structured collaboration.
Looking forward, participants identified strong interest in further capacity-building initiatives, such as digital platforms to link the sector, more two-way residency and student exchange programs, and the deepening of institutional linkages between universities and creative industries.
The India and Australia Creative Industries Network is testament to the University of Melbourne’s commitment to positioning creativity and cultural engagement at the heart of global partnerships. As Professor Wills concluded,
“Creative industries are central to the futures of India and Australia. By working together, sharing our stories and building meaningful and long-term partnerships, we can ensure our creative sectors thrive and that cultural diplomacy continues to be a powerful force connecting our peoples, institutions and nations.”