Australian Arts and Culture Highlighted in Turkey

  • Media release

I am pleased to announce that the internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre will perform in Istanbul as part of Australia's year-long cultural festival 'Australia Now, Turkey 2015'.

The festival highlights Australia's innovative cultural landscape and promotes Australia as an exciting and dynamic country to visit and increase trade and investment.

Australia is closely engaged with Turkey on a range of global challenges and through the MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia) initiative and the G20, which Turkey will host this year, building on Australia's G20 leadership in 2014. The festival raises Australia's profile in Turkey beyond our shared ANZAC history.

Each year, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade delivers a cultural festival in a country of strategic significance, to raise Australia's profile and build an understanding of Australia beyond our landscape and lifestyle. Next year, the focus will be on Brazil – the year of Rio Olympics.

The Program forms part of the Government's cultural diplomacy strategy, which promotes Australia overseas through high quality and innovative cultural activities, including theatre, dance, film, television, fashion, music and literature.

Media enquiries