What started as a one day exhibition in 1997 has morphed into one of Australia's greatest cultural treasures. And the true joy of it is that sizable percentages of people enjoying Sculpture By The Sea have stumbled upon it by accident. The Bondi to Coogee clifftop walk is a justifiably popular tourist staple – it needs no extra beautifying to be a splendid way to spend a few hours. Or, indeed, full day. It's part of what makes Sydney such an exceptional and prodigiously naturally-blessed city.
While those who come specifically to see Sculpture By The Sea invariably thoroughly enjoy it, the true genius of the concept is that it brings art to those who would never actively seek it otherwise. Putting scores of sculptures along the rocks hits a nerve that no exhibition in an art gallery could manage. It sparks inquisitiveness in people – especially children - who would usually think "nah, not for me" when presented with the idea of going to see sculptures.
The project's expansion – first to three weeks in October and November at Bondi, then to Perth's Cottesloe Beach in March and now to Aarhus, Denmark in June – is heartening. A brilliant Australian-born idea has gone to the west coast and then internationally.
A quick look at the map on the Sculpture By The Sea site shows that the international aspect also applies to the artists contributing as well – works are coming from as far afield as Brazil, Slovakia and Kiribati. And the variety of installations on offer shows curatorial open-mindedness. What's on display varies from year to year, but in 2014 it lurched from traditional chiselled stone to sprawls made from lipstick and fake signs boasting wine-tasting terminology. Similar eclecticism can be expected between October 22 and November 8. See sculpturebythesea.com.
David Whitley
It's easy to suffer from institute fatigue in the nation's capital. Canberra is crammed with museums, libraries, galleries and parliaments, but the National Portrait Gallery always seems fresh – unstuffy, democratic and willing to laugh at itself. The collection includes plenty of celebrities, a good quota of eminent people and a healthy contingent of Australian scallywags – such as Alan Bond, Shane Warne and Barry Humphries. The gallery is quintessentially Australian without being jingoistic. See portrait.gov.au
Mark Chipperfield
Arts-driven philanthropists Kerr and Judith Nielsen opened this spacious three-level Chippendale gallery in 2009 to house the largest collected works of contemporary (post-2000) Chinese art outside China; thus making their private collection, public. And free. The constantly changing exhibitions crackle with creative energy and a touch of anarchy, while at the same time, the charming ground floor teahouse instils a zen-like calm in visitors with its steamed dumplings and white peony tea. See whiterabbitcollection.org
Jill Dupleix
See the best of the world and save yourself an international airfare with a visit to this year's winter blockbuster, fresh from St Petersburg's Hermitage Museum (until November 8), followed by an Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei collaboration (from December 11) and Australian surrealism featuring Sidney Nolan and Max Dupain (from October 9). This year also sees a temporary architectural installation by John Wardel Architects made of 1350 pink flowers (September 17 – May 1, 2016). It's the inaugural annual Summer Architecture Commission, in the same vein as London's celebrated annual Serpentine Pavilion architecture installation in Kensington Gardens. See ngv.vic.gov.au
Belinda Jackson
It isn't the artworks themselves – you could take or leave many of the strange and wonderful things on display at David Walsh's famous and infamous Hobart gallery. Many of the works hanging on the walls and spread across the floors set out to challenge and offend, both sensibilities and senses, and they often succeed. What's really impressive about the Museum of Old and New Art, however, is the entire package.
This is a lesson to tourism providers across the country: if you build it, they will come, and if you build it well, they will return with interest. The MONA package is slick from the minute you step into the ferry terminal in downtown Hobart. There you find market stalls featuring the best of Tasmania, from craft beer and cheese producers to local tourism operators.
Buy a ticket and you're soon onboard the Mona Roma 1, a high-speed, custom-built ferry that's part art gallery, part bar, and part watercraft. The wine and beer on offer is sourced from small-batch local outfits. There are sculptures of sheep to sit on (or maybe you'd prefer a barstool). There's a VIP "Posh Pit" at the front where canapés and drinks are served.
The ferry travels half an hour up the Derwent before depositing guests at MONA, a spectacular building that abuts a huge rock face forming one of its walls. It's as impressive a work as anything that hangs inside it. Those artworks, from the provocative to the bizarre, are spread over multiple floors connected by a warren of walkways and stairwells, some leading out to naturally lit installations, others weaving back upon themselves into near pitch darkness. Audioguides are provided via iPod. This is slick.
You don't need to love the art to enjoy MONA. You don't even need to love art. You just need to appreciate the experience.
Ben Groundwater
A well-designed two-level pavilion attached to the Queensland Art Gallery, the always-outstanding Gallery of Modern Art has boosted Brisbane to world-class cultural destination status. One of the highlights is the free Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, the 8th in the series which will be presented from November 2015 to May 2016. Also on display is contemporary Indigenous Australian paintings and fibre works. The gallery also houses the award-winning GOMA Restaurant (two Chefs hats) with a menu designed by Executive Chef, Josue Lopez. See qagoma.qld.gov.au
Andrea Black
Melbourne Street Art Tours offers dedicated guided walks around one of the strongest street art scenes in the world. The guides point out the best murals, stencils and paste-ups, explaining how the city has gradually come round to embracing street art. The key difference from tours run in other cities, however, is that they are run by artists heavily involved in the scene, who know know the people making the works personally – and can give more detailed insight. See melbournestreettours.com.
David Whitley
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